A Love to Remember
by Kalia Clyde
Summary: Hermione's in her 4th year & finds herself falling for 1 of the Triwizard champs, Cedric. She's in for a bit of trouble as she tries to fight off this attraction because he's dating Cho. But does she really have to fight it or does he like her too?
1. Back to the Burrow

**Before we get started, I just want to put out a disclaimer:**

**I own nothing but the things that can't be found in Jo's fourth book. This is just my version of what would happen if Hermione and Cedric Diggory had fallen in love.**

**With that now said, ENJOY!**

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* * *

**A Love to Remember

Chapter 1 - Back to the Burrow

It was a year unlike any other. Hermione was getting ready to go to the Weasley's and she couldn't be happier. It wasn't the fact that they were going to the World Cup, oh no, but the fact that she got to spend time with her friends. She hadn't seen them all summer and the thought of getting to spend time with them excited her.

"Hermione...! Are you ready sweetheart," Mrs. Granger yelled up the stairs. "The Weasley's will be here any moment!" Mr. and Mrs. Granger had grown to love the Weasley family with all their red-headed children, though they still thought Mr. Weasley a bit strange. Hermione gave one last quick look in the mirror, pleased at the way her body had grown a bit, not as much as she would have liked, but a bit. She smiled and grabbed her trunk, pulling it into the hall; she struggled to get it past the long carpet that stretched down the center of the hard wood floor in the hall. Finally getting it to the top of the stairs, Hermione stopped and panted, wiping her forehead with the back of her wrist. The day was humid already and it wasn't even noon.

"Hermione, princess... do you need help," her father asked as he stood at the bottom of the stairs trying not to laugh at his daughter's effort.

"I think I can handle it, Dad," Hermione sighed as she bent down and began pulling the trunk down the stairs.

"I wouldn't do that," Hermione's father advised as he shook his head. Hermione soon found out why as she struggled to keep the trunk from running her over and flying down the rest of the steps.

"Daddy," Hermione panted as she pushed the trunk back onto the landing. "I do this every year... I think I can handle it."

"Suit yourself, then," Mr. Granger chuckled as she walked over and sat down on the couch with his wife to await the arrival of the Weasley's. Hermione went back up to the top of the steps and looked down at her trunk in frustration. '_You think for a girl of my academic achievement, this would be easy_' Hermione thought to herself as she grabbed the handle of the trunk and tried pushing it down the stairs.

"What in the world," Mrs. Granger shrieked as she jumped off the couch and gaped at the fireplace which had just sprang to life and grew a few feet, tall and wide enough to stand herself and Mr. Granger in as it tossed out red-haired people, one after another. Hermione strained to see what was going on as she continued to struggle with the trunk on the stairs, managing to get it safely down three steps.

"I hope I didn't startle you," Mr. Weasley said as he stepped over his sons, Fred, George, and Ron who were lying on the floor in a pile of soot and groaning limbs.

"Get off, Ron, you prat," George grumbled as he tried to get up.

"That's not me, it's Fred... I'm the one on the bottom you know," Ron grouched back.

"Ouch, George," Fred exclaimed as his twin elbowed him in the cheek.

"Sorry, Fred," George apologized as he continued to try and disentangle himself from Ron.

"Boys, please," Mr. Weasley said as he shook his head and wiped off his hands. "Mr. and Mrs. Granger," he greeted turning to them as the boys finally got up off the floor.

"Mr. Weasley," Mr. Granger greeted back as he shook Mr. Weasley's hand and nodded to the boys.

"Where's Hermione," Ron asked as Mrs. Granger smiled at the boys.

"Oh, she's coming." Mrs. Granger had no sooner answered when there was a loud series of thuds and Hermione landed at the bottom of the stairs on top of her trunk.

"Hi," Hermione mumbled in obvious embarrassment as she stood up and brushed her hair back from her face.

"We'll get that," Fred laughed as he and George grabbed Hermione's trunk.

"I don't know why you and your mother insist on packing so much stuff," Mr. Granger sighed as he watched the twins grunt and groan their way across the living room to the fireplace with the trunk.

"It's all stuff I need, Dad...! My school books, my clothes, my new cauldron, and things like that," Hermione said in a whiny sort of way as Mrs. Granger sort of glared at her husband for his remark about how she and her daughter packed. Fred and George heaved a great exhale in unison as they dropped the trunk by the fireplace, jarring the pictures on the walls as they did so.

"Are you sure that's all stuff you need?" Ron was looking mildly shocked as he looked from the twins to Hermione who scowled slightly at him before Mr. Weasley broke the silence.

"Well, best be off, then," Mr. Weasley chuckled as he pulled a small drawstring bag from his pocket and opened it up to reveal a green, sparkling sort of crystalline powder. "Ron, you first, then Fred and the trunk. George and Hermione can follow and I'll join you in a few minutes after I disconnect the fireplace from the Floo Network." Mr. and Mrs. Granger exchanged somewhat worried looks at these words as they wondered what would happen if he didn't fix it properly.

"Welp, 'bye, then," Ron said as he waved and grabbed some of the powder from his father who lit the fire in the fireplace. Ron threw the powder into the fireplace which changed from merrily crackling orange and yellow flames to a large emerald green roaring fire. Mrs. Granger gasped and held her breath as Ron stepped in and shouted, "The Burrow!"

"It's fine, Mom," Hermione giggled as the flames gave a swishing sound and Ron disappeared. "It doesn't burn and it doesn't hurt." Mrs. Granger nodded fervently and swallowed hard as she watched Mr. Weasley help Fred stand Hermione's trunk on end in the fire before he stepped in and shouted just as Ron had. George quickly followed as Hermione hugged and kissed her parents goodbye and then stepped into the warm, tickling green flames. "The Burrow!" Hermione watched the last of her living room disappear as she realized that she would never return to her house the same, and boy was she ever right.

* * *

"Can you believe Harry's coming today," Ginny sighed dreamily as she and Hermione sat out in the Weasley's garden watching Hermione's cat, Crookshanks, chase gnomes. 

"It doesn't even seem like I was here for a whole day for him to be arriving," Hermione said thoughtfully as she giggled at Crookshanks who shook from his shoulders all the way back to his bottle bush tail. "You still really like him don't you!"

"Not as much as I used to, but I do kind of still like him," Ginny replied as she and Hermione got up off the bench and headed inside to see if the Weasley boys had left yet.

"Ah, there you are, girls," Mrs. Weasley said as she stood at the kitchen sink washing dishes, obviously trying to clean up the mess from lunch so that she could start dinner. "I was wondering if you would go and see if you brother Percy was going to join us for dinner. Poor child has been up in that room working all day... didn't even come down for lunch."

"But Mum! Percy's such a grouch when you bother him," Ginny protested with a whine.

"Ginevra Weasley," Mrs. Weasley said in a threatening tone as she rounded on her daughter.

"Come on, Ginny," Hermione said as she pulled Ginny to the hall and up the rickety old stairs toward Percy's room.

"Percy! Mum wants to know if you are going to come down for dinner." Ginny's voice rang throughout the house as noise was heard from in Percy's room.

"Can't get any work done in this house," Percy grumbled from behind his door before it came flying open.

"Well," Ginny asked cockily as she looked at her brother who looked anything but happy to see his little sister.

"Yes, now leave me alone! I have very important-," Percy began to yell, but Ginny beat him to the punch.

"Important work to finish for Mr. Crouch... Yes, yes, I know," Ginny hissed as she rolled her eyes and started back down the stairs. "He's such a pompous git!" Hermione shook her head and tried not to laugh as Ginny groaned. They were half way down the hall when they heard Mr. Weasley yelling.

"It _isn't funny!_ That sort of behavior seriously undermines wizard-Muggle relations! I spend half my life campaigning against the mistreatment of Muggles, and my own sons-"

"Uh, oh... Fred and George must really have done something bad this time. Dad sounds really ticked off." The girls hesitated for a moment and then bravely decided to go and see what was going on.

"Tell me _what_, Arthur?" Mrs. Weasley was in the kitchen questioning her husband by the time the girls got there, both standing timidly in the doorway. The girls smiled at Harry who smiled back as Ginny blushed a shade of scarlet at his return. "Tell me _what_, Arthur?" Hermione and Ginny knew that Mrs. Weasley was going to break into a rage soon as Mr. Weasley quit beating around the bush about telling her whatever it was he was supposed to be telling her.

"It's nothing, Molly," Mr. Weasley mumbled. "Fred and George just – but I've had words with them-" The air in the room got ever tenser with each new word as Mrs. Weasley spoke again.

"What have they done this time? If it's got anything to do with the Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes-" Hermione had only just heard about this yesterday, and she already knew how mad Mrs. Weasley could get. Figuring that she best get Harry and Ron out of the room as well as herself and Ginny, she spoke up.

"Why don't you show Harry where he's sleeping, Ron?"

"He knows where he's sleeping, in my room, he slept there last time-," Ron began. This answer didn't much surprise Hermione as she knew Ron was a little bit slow to catching on to the kind of hints she was throwing.

"We can all go," she said pointedly.

"Oh, right." Much to Hermione, Ginny, and Harry's relief, Ron finally caught on.

"Yeah, we'll come too," George said as he tried to get Fred and himself out of the room as well as he felt a severe telling off coming on.

"_You stay where you are!_" Mrs. Weasley was definitely furious as Harry and Ron came edging quickly out of the kitchen and joined Hermione and Ginny in the hallway. Figuring that it was best to make a quick get-away, the four of them went quickly down the hall and up the stairs.

"What are the Weasley Wizarding Wheezes?" Hermione expected this question, and many more from Harry seeing as he was isolated from the wizarding world all summer. In a way she felt sorry for him, but she knew he was well able to take good care of himself with the Dursley's at least.

"Mum found this stack of order forms when she was cleaning Fred and George's room," whispered Ron. "Great long price lists for stuff they've invented. Joke stuff, you know. Fake wands and trick sweets, loads of stuff. It was brilliant, I never knew they'd been inventing all that..."

"We've been hearing explosions out of their room for ages, but we never thought they were actually _making_ things," Ginny broke in. "We thought they just liked the noise."

"Only, most of the stuff – well, all of it – was a bit dangerous," Ron said, "and, you know, they were planning to sell it at Hogwarts to make some money, and Mum went mad at them. Told them they weren't allowed to make any more of it, and burned all the order forms... She's furious at them anyway. They didn't get as many O.W.L.s as she expected."

"And then there was this big row," Ginny said, "because Mum wants them to go into the Ministry of Magic like Dad, and they told her all they want to do is open a joke shop." The four of them had been slowly climbing the stairs, not paying attention to anything but what Ginny and Ron were saying when they had obviously disturbed Percy who came poking his head out of his room.

"Hi, Percy," Harry greeted.

"Oh hello, Harry," Percy greeted back. "I was wondering who was making all the noise. I'm trying to work in here, you know – I've got a report to finish for the office – and it's rather difficult to concentrate when people keep thundering up and down the stairs."

"We're not _thundering_," Ron hissed with his usual hot temper setting in. "We're walking. Sorry if we've disturbed the top-secret workings of the Ministry of Magic." That's when Harry asked the question everyone dreaded.

"What are you working on?"

"A report for the Department of International Magical Cooperation," Percy answered in a smug tone. "We're trying-," the reason was a bit of a blur to Hermione as she drowned him out. '_And I always used to think he was such a good role model_' Hermione thought as she stared at the ceiling and prayed that Harry wouldn't ask anymore questions.

"Yeah, yeah, all right," Ron said as he, Harry, and Ginny started up the stairs, Hermione coming out of her daze and following closely. When they got in the room, they all slid into the room between the four beds (for Fred, George, Ron, and Harry) and sat down upon them. Hermione stared absent mindedly out the window while Ron and Harry talked about Ron's owl, Pig. Harry finally snapped Hermione from her daze when he spoke to her.

"Where's Crookshanks?"

"Out in the garden, I expect," Hermione answered. "He likes chasing gnomes. He's never seen any before."

"Percy's enjoying work, then," Harry asked as he sat down on one of the beds and stared around the walls at the moving posters.

"Enjoying it?" Ron's voice held a dark tone as he repeated Harry's question. "I don't reckon he'd come home if Dad didn't make him. He's obsessed. Just don't get him onto the subject of his boss. _According to Mr. Crouch... as I was saying to Mr. Crouch... Mr. Crouch is of the opinion... Mr. Crouch was telling me..._ They'll be announcing their engagement any day now." Hermione smiled and then pressed her lips together as she tried to keep from laughing at this comment. '_Oh, honestly Ronald_' she thought. '_Percy's just really dedicated and that doesn't hurt anything!_'

"Have you had a good summer, Harry?" Hermione tried to change the subject before Ron really got started on Percy. "Did you get our food parcels and everything?"

"Yeah, thanks a lot," Harry replied. "They saved my life, those cakes." Hermione was glad to hear that she was a bit of help to Harry over the summer while he went through the agonizing torture of staying with his aunt and uncle, but her good feeling went away when Ron opened his mouth.

"And have you heard from-?" Ron had forgotten Ginny was in the room as he started to ask Harry about Sirius. Hermione threw him a look that said 'Shh! no' and he quickly fell silent. Hermione and Ron were both really concerned about Sirius, but they didn't want to talk about it in front of Ginny who didn't know anything about it. '_Oh, Ron, you idiot. I hope Ginny won't get too suspicious_' Hermione thought worriedly as she looked from Ron to Ginny and then to Harry.

"I think they've stopped arguing," Hermione said in an attempt to cover up the now awkward moment. "Shall we go down and help your mum with dinner?"

"Yeah, all right," Ron said as he regretted saying what he had. They left the room and were soon in the kitchen were Mrs. Weasley was bustling around, seething about the twins.

"We're eating out in the garden," Mrs. Weasley said as she noticed their presence. "There's just not enough room for eleven people in here. Could you take the plates outside, girls? Bill and Charlie are setting up the tables. Knives and forks, please, you two," Mrs. Weasley instructed Ron and Harry as she pointed her wand at the potatoes in hopes of dumping them into the sink, but instead, in her rage, she had sent them shooting about the kitchen. "Oh for heaven's _sake_," she snapped as she pointed her wand at the dust pan. Hermione looked over at Ginny who gave a half hearted sigh and grabbed some of the plates. Hermione followed suit and followed the red-haired girl outside into the garden where Bill and Charlie were having a bit of fun.

"Watch out!" Hermione and Ginny were sitting the plates down and spun around just in time as Fred yelled at them. A table was soaring through the air, as the two of them dropped to the ground. Hermione got up, wide eyed as Ginny lay on the ground giggling. She joined Fred and George in cheering on Bill and Charlie as they made the tables fight, but Hermione didn't find it very amusing.

"Oh, honestly," Hermione sighed. "Mrs. Weasley's already in a bad mood. Imagine if she comes out and finds her two eldest sons playing around like children." Hermione shook her head as she continued to watch while Bill's table went flying at Charlie's, knocking a leg off of Charlie's table. Hermione bit down on her lip as she tried to keep from laughing, but all laughter was soon ceased as Percy poked his head out of his second floor window.

"Will you keep it down!"

"Sorry, Perce," Bill yelled back as he grinned broadly. "How're the cauldron bottoms coming on?"

"Very badly," Percy yelled back as the other Weasley's laughed and went about what they were supposed to be doing. Hermione sighed and shook her head as she decided to go back up to the house and help Mrs. Weasley to get the rest of dinner ready.

* * *

At seven o'clock that night, everyone was sitting happily around the table in the garden, full and talking merrily. Percy and Mr. Weasley were deep in conversation, or at least Percy was deep into their conversation, Bill, Mrs. Weasley, and Ginny were arguing lightly about Bill's hair and clothes and the twins and Charlie were talking about Quidditch, a usual subject between the guys when nothing else was exciting enough for them to talk about. Hermione was beginning to feel very bored as she stared about the garden, hoping to see Crookshanks somewhere. She had given up all hope on talking to Harry and Ron because Harry had joined Charlie and the twins on their topic and Ron was still stuffing his face. When Ron had finally stopped, he looked around the table and leaned in to Harry. 

"So – _have_ you heard from Sirius lately?" Hermione's ears perked as she realized someone had finally started a conversation she could get in on, thankfully.

"Yeah, twice." Harry's voice was as soft as a pin drop as he answered, causing Hermione to lean in closer while still looking around at the Weasley's. "He sounds okay," Harry continued. "I wrote him yesterday. He might write back while I'm here." Harry stopped after this and the other two sat up straight as Mrs. Weasley's voice rang out about the table suddenly.

"Look at the time," she said. "You really should be in bed, the whole lot of you – you'll be up at the crack of dawn to get to the Cup. Harry, if you leave your school list out, I'll get your things for you tomorrow in Diagon Alley. I'm getting everyone else's. There might not be time after the World Cup, the match went on for five days last time."

"Wow – hope it does this time!" Hermione smiled at Harry's enthusiastic comment, but she was soon rolling her eyes as Percy broke in.

"Well, I certainly don't. I _shudder_ to think what the state of my in-tray would be if I was away from work for five days." Hermione and a few others around the table sighed. '_Honestly Percy, there is a limit to how far you should take working. And you my friend, have surpassed it_' she thought in slight annoyance. '_How did I ever think he was a good role model!_'

"Yeah," Fred said, breaking her from her thoughts, "someone might slip dragon dung in it again, eh, Perce?"

"That was a sample of fertilizer from Norway!" Hermione tried not to laugh as Percy went slightly red while trying to give his answer in a dignified as possible way. "It was nothing _personal_!" Hermione saw Fred lean over and whisper something to Harry and she felt that it was something personal and that the twins had something to do with it. She shook her head as she rose from the table and followed Ginny inside, up the stairs, and to bed. Hermione was grateful to rest her head upon the soft pillow, and before she knew it, she was asleep.


	2. Setting Up Camp

Chapter 2 - Setting Up Camp

Hermione felt as though she had barely gotten even two hours of sleep as Mrs. Weasley came in Ginny's room to wake them.

"Girls! Get up and get ready," she called from the doorway. Ginny grunted and rolled over, pulling the covers over her head as Hermione moaned and buried her head in her pillow. Mrs. Weasley continued up the stairs to wake the boys, Hermione hearing her go back down the stairs to the kitchen.

"G-G-Ginny," Hermione yawned. "Come on." Hermione wasn't much of a help in waking Ginny up seeing as she herself showed no real signs of getting out of the bed. Hermione rolled over and yawned again as she heard Harry and the other boys come trudging down the stairs. Hermione tried to keep her eyes open, but to no avail as she drifted back to sleep.

"Girls – if you don't get out of that bed this instant!" Mrs. Weasley was back at the door ten minutes later, yelling at Hermione and Ginny again to get out of bed and get ready. Ginny mumbled something into her pillow that sounded faintly like 'Five more minutes, Mum', but Mrs. Weasley would have no such thing. "Come on... Get up!" Mrs. Weasley grabbed Ginny and sat her up in the bed, Ginny groaning the whole time until her feet hit the cold floor and she shivered.

"Aw, Mum! I'm tired," Ginny protested as she tried to lie back down, but Mrs. Weasley took her pillow and Ginny grunted groggily as she got out of the bed.

"Come on, Hermione, dear." Mrs. Weasley began shaking Hermione, waking her only just enough for her to hear properly.

"I'm-... I'm up."

"No, you're not. You're not up until you're out of that bed, Hermione Granger," Mrs. Weasley scolded as she shook Hermione again. Hermione heaved a great sigh as she rolled over and sat up in the bed. "Now, let's go." Mrs. Weasley began making the bed as Hermione and Ginny walked sleepily out to the kitchen. When they entered, Ginny began complaining as they rubbed their eyes and squinted through the bright kitchen lights.

"Why do we have to be up so early?" Hermione totally agreed with Ginny's protest, the sun wasn't even rising yet.

"We've got a bit of a walk," Mr. Weasley replied. Harry's mildly astonished and slightly fearful tone as he spoke was exactly what Hermione was feeling when she heard the word 'walk' come out of Mr. Weasley's mouth.

"Walk? What, are we walking to the World Cup?"

"No, no, that's miles away," Mr. Weasley said with a half laugh. "We only need to walk a short way. It's just that it's very difficult got a large number of wizards to congregate without attracting Muggle attention. We have to be very careful about how we travel at the best of times, and on a huge occasion like the Quidditch World Cup-"

"George!" Mrs. Weasley's voice came abruptly in a shrill way, making everyone in the kitchen jump.

"What?" George tried to sound innocent, but he fooled no one.

"What is that in your pocket?"

"Nothing!"

"Don't you lie to me!" Mrs. Weasley's voice was dangerously threatening as she pulled out her wand and aimed it at George's pocket. "_Accio!_" Hermione and the others watched as many tiny, bright colored objects came flying out of George's pocket. He tried to grab them up, but he didn't succeed as they went soaring across the room to Mrs. Weasley's waiting hand.

"Uh-oh," Ginny breathed silently as she sat next to Hermione. Everyone knew what was coming as Mrs. Weasley went slightly red in the face while her eyes turned fiery.

"We told you to destroy them!" She was holding one of the twin's Ton-Tongue Toffees and she was starting to shake with rage. "We told you to get rid of the lot! Empty your pockets, go on, both of you!"

"This ought to be good," Ron whispered as he sat at the table on Hermione's other side. The twins pulled out bunches upon bunches of the toffees, but that wasn't the end of them.

"_Accio! Accio! Accio!_" Toffees were flying all over the place as Mrs. Weasley summoned them from all sorts of strange places off of her sons' clothing.

"We spent six months developing those!" Hermione didn't need any kind of Divination to tell her that there was a horrible fight in the brewing as Fred protested.

"Oh a fine way to spend six months!" Mrs. Weasley was screaming at the twins who looked just as equally angry about their mother's ridding them of their inventions. "No wonder you didn't get more O.W.L.s!" Hermione looked at Ginny who quickly got up to go and get dressed, Hermione following suit.

"I don't know why they insist on angering her so," Ginny sighed as they left her room a few minutes later, both of them carrying their luggage. They were waiting in the dark yard as Mrs. Weasley kissed Mr. Weasley goodbye and then they were off.

"Well, have a lovely time," Mrs. Weasley called after them, "and _behave yourselves_! I'll send Bill, Charlie, and Percy along around midday." Hermione shivered and crossed her arms across her chest as goose bumps broke out on her arms from the cold. It was still very, very early seeing as the sun hadn't even shown not one sign of rising. The air was thick with silence as the twins walked ahead of everyone, anger glowing on their faces. Harry was the first to break the silence as he spoke to Mr. Weasley.

"So how _does_ everyone get there without all the Muggles noticing?" Hermione had been wondering the same thing, this was a pretty big event judging by the talk about it and it wasn't like everyone could Apparate.

"It's been a massive organizational problem," Mr. Weasley answered as they continued to walk along. "The trouble is, about a hundred thousand wizards turn up at the World Cup, and of course, we just haven't got a magical site big enough to accommodate them all." Hermione had known that this event would be big, but the news Mr. Weasley just gave them shocked her. '_Wow, a _hundred_ thousand witches and wizards_' she thought in amazement as Mr. Weasley continued to speak. "There are places Muggles can't penetrate, but imagine trying to pack a hundred thousand wizards into Diagon Alley or platform nine and three quarters. So we had to find a nice deserted moor, and set up as many anti-Muggle precautions as possible. The whole Ministry's been working on it for months. First, of course, we have to stagger the arrivals. People with cheaper tickets have to arrive two weeks beforehand."

"Ouch, Ron," Ginny groaned up ahead. Ron had just tripped in the darkness and stumbled into Ginny.

"S-s-sorry," Ron yawned. Hermione yawned herself as she continued to listen to Mr. Weasley.

"A limited number use Muggle transport, but we can't have too many clogging up their buses and trains – remember, wizards are coming from all over the world. Some Apparate, of course, but we have to set up safe points for them to appear, well away from Muggles. I believe there's a handy wood they're using as the Apparition point." At this, Hermione began wishing desperately, just as the twins had, that she could have got to sleep in and Apparate like Charlie, Bill, and Percy. "For those who don't Apparate, or can't, we use Portkeys," Mr. Weasley continued to explain. '_I should have guessed_' Hermione thought to herself. '_I remember reading about those._' The rest of what Mr. Weasley said was lost to her as she tried to recall where she had read about Portkeys and what it had said. Finally, she decided to give up and listen to Mr. Weasley instead as Harry asked something close to the question that was sitting annoyingly in her mind.

"What sort of objects are Portkeys?"

"Well, they can be anything," Mr. Weasley said. "Unobtrusive things, obviously so Muggles don't go picking them up and playing with them... stuff they'll just think is litter..." Hermione thought about a disgusting piece of moldy meatloaf and shuddered as she grimaced. Shaking the thought from her head, Hermione and the others walked a bit further before coming to Stoatshead Hill. As they climbed the hill, Hermione, Ron, and Mr. Weasley all stumbled in rabbit holes that were hidden in the wet, dark grass.

"Are you okay," Harry asked as he helped Hermione up and they continued up the hill as Hermione nodded, too tired and out of breath to talk.

"Whew," Mr. Weasley panted as he took his glasses off and cleaned them on his old golf sweater. "Well, we've made good time – we've got ten minutes..." Hermione was thankful to hear this as she took a deep breath and closed her eyes while coming up over the hill clutching a stitch in here side. She dropped her pack and rested as Mr. Weasley and the others began searching for the Portkey. Everyone stopped looking when a voice called out to them and two tall, dark figures became distantly visible against the star-strewn, morning sky. Hermione squinted through the darkness as Mr. Weasley greeted the man who called to them. "Amos!" Everyone followed and they came face-to-face with a bearded wizard who was holding a moldy-looking old boot in his hand.

"I guess I was right about the moldy part," Hermione sighed to herself as Mr. Weasley introduced everyone.

"This is Amos Diggory, everyone. He works for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. And I think you know his son Cedric?" The boys recognized him as the Captain and Seeker of the Hufflepuff House Quidditch team at Hogwarts, and Ginny and Hermione recognized him as one of the most handsome boys in Hogwarts. Hermione sighed dreamily as she looked at him. He had said something, but she didn't quite hear it as she gazed at him. He looked around at everyone, coming finally to Hermione and smiling as she became aware he caught her staring stupidly.

"Hi," Hermione mumbled as she bit her bottom lip and bowed her head to hide her embarrassment. Hermione didn't much pay attention after that to what was going on or being said, she was too busy stealing glances at Cedric's handsome face and trying to hide every time he caught her. Finally, Mr. Weasley saved her from her continual cat and mouse gazing game as he spoke to her and Harry.

"You just need to touch the Portkey, that's all, a finger will do-" Hermione and Harry nodded and did as Mr. Weasley said, all nine of the people crowd around while Amos held the boot for them to touch. '_Wow would this look weird to Muggles_' Hermione laughed to herself in the back of her mind as she thought of a Muggle coming up onto the hill and spotting Mr. Weasley and Mr. Diggory and seven children touching a moldy boot in the early hours of the morning, just standing there. But she was broke from her thoughts as Mr. Weasley began quietly counting down to something.

"Three... two... one..." Hermione gasped as her feet let the ground with a jerk from behind her navel, her shoulder pounding painfully into Harry's every few seconds. Hermione closed her eyes as she became sick to her stomach due to the whirling of colors as they sped forward. Hermione looked up from the ground and saw Cedric, Mr. Diggory, and Mr. Weasley looking down on the group with slight concern as they lay there on the ground. Cedric smiled at her as she blushed and stood up, brushing herself off and pushing her hair back from her face.

"Seven past five from Stoatshead Hill," came a voice from behind her. Hermione turned around to see Mr. Weasley now talking to a man he had called Basil who was wearing a kilt. Hermione was too busy staring around the misty field at the already many tents. It was a bit hard to see them, but in the row that was closest to where they were standing, Hermione could already tell that there certainly was going to be an enormous bit of people here.

"Thanks, Basil," Mr. Weasley said as the group of red-heads and Harry began moving. Hermione sighed and picked up her pack as she followed along with him. The rest of the morning was a bit of a blur to Hermione as Mr. Weasley said hello to an uncountable number wizards and witches. Hermione had turned into a conversation at one point though as a Muggle began talking to them.

"You foreign?"

"Foreign," Mr. Weasley repeated in a questioning way. '_Uh-oh_' Hermione thought as she realized the Muggle was staring at Mr. Weasley's attire with a puzzled expression.

"You're not the first one who's had trouble with money," said the Muggle. "I had two try and pay me with great gold coins the size of hubcaps ten minutes ago."

"Did you really?" Hermione felt as nervous as Mr. Weasley sounded as the Muggle's tone got more and more suspicious.

"Never been this crowded," continued the Muggle. "Hundreds of pre-bookings. People usually just turn up..."

"Is that right?"

"Aye. People from all over. Loads of foreigners. And not just foreigners. Weirdos, you know? There's a bloke walking 'round in a kilt and a poncho." Hermione realized that the Muggle, who's name was Mr. Roberts, was talking about Basil.

"Shouldn't he?" Mr. Weasley loved Muggles, but Hermione saw that it wasn't a good thing that he came in contact with them as she thought '_Oh on, Mr. Weasley. Shh!_'

"It's like some sort of... I dunno... like some sort of rally," Roberts stuttered about. "They all seem to know each other. Like a big party." Hermione was really starting to worry, but suddenly her worry turned to surprise as a wizard appeared from nowhere and cast a spell on Roberts.

"_Obliviate!_" Hermione gasped as Roberts went slightly cross-eyed and then an expression of carelessness took over his face.

"A map of the campsite for you. And your change," Roberts said calmly to Mr. Weasley as he stood there looking disappointed at how they were treating the Muggles working at the moor.

"Thanks very much," Mr. Weasley sighed as he ushered the group along, the wizard who had just used a Memory Charm on Roberts accompanying them along the way. He and Mr. Weasley talked, but Hermione didn't pay attention as she thought of the poor Muggle back where they had just paid for their campsite.

"See you later, Arthur," said the wizard. Hermione snapped from her concerned daze when the wizard Disapparated. She began to stare at her surroundings after this, noticing big tents with gardens, weather vanes, peacocks, and even one with three floors. They finally reached their campsite with a sudden halt as Mr. Weasley exclaimed so happily, waking them all thoroughly from their stupor.

"Couldn't have a better spot! The field is just on the other side of the wood there, we're as close as we could be."

"Thank Merlin," Hermione sighed to herself as she followed Mr. Weasley's lead and took off her pack.

"Right," he said with excitement that told Hermione trouble was ahead, "no magic allowed, strictly speaking, now we're out in these numbers on Muggle land." Hermione groaned and rolled her eyes. '_I definitely need to get in shape if this is wearing me out. After I take a week's vacation and rest from this bit of work._' Hermione turned to Mr. Weasley who rubbed his palms together excitedly and continued to speak with his same childishly happy tone. "We'll be putting these tents up by hand! Shouldn't be too difficult..."

"That's what you think," Hermione sighed to herself as she recalled a time her father took her camping in one of his father-daughter bonding trips.

"Muggles do it all the time... Here, Harry, where do you reckon we should start?" Mr. Weasley turned to Harry and Hermione felt a bit of relief settle into her stomach.

"Better him than me," she thought aloud to herself, but this feeling didn't last long as Harry gave a pleading look to Hermione. Slouching slightly in disappointment, Hermione began to help Harry as she tried to keep from laughing at Mr. Weasley who was extremely overjoyed when Harry let him pound the stakes into the ground with a mallet. Finally they had finished and they stood back and took a well deserved break as they admired what they had done. Hermione couldn't figure something out though. Where were Bill, Charlie, and Percy going to stay when they got there because there were only two tents and as it is, there didn't look like there was enough room for those of them who were there.

"Come on, Hermione...! Let's check ours out," Ginny exclaimed as she ran forward, dropped to her knees, and crawling into the tent. Hermione looked quizzically at Ron who shrugged and followed Mr. Weasley and Harry into the boys' tent. Hermione sighed and followed Ginny into the tent, receiving quite a shock when she entered. There was a bathroom, kitchen, and bedroom. While Hermione was examining the tent, Harry and Ron entered. Hermione looked at Harry with a surprised expression on her face as he shrugged and raised his brow. Once they were finished looking, Hermione and the two boys grabbed a kettle and a couple pots and began their journey across the campsite to get water. All along the way, Hermione saw lots of strange things. She had seen wizards and witches at Hogswarts and in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, and what she hadn't seen, she read about, but to see the things she had read about or saw in books was amazing. Suddenly there was a change in the campsite surroundings that Ron so obviously pointed out with a stupid question like always.

"Er- is it my eyes, or has everything gone green?" Hermione was about to answer that as they looked at the many tents covered with Ireland flags, shamrocks, and other Irish pride-showing objects when someone called their names from behind them.

"Harry! Ron! Hermione!" Seamus Finnigan was sitting at one of the strangely green tents with Dean Thomas and what must have been Seamus's mother, Mrs. Finnigan. "Like the decorations?" Hermione thought seriously about answering that question too, but she didn't feel it wise to say something like 'It's nice, but a bit too much' amidst all the green tents. "The Ministry's not too happy."

"Ah, why shouldn't we show our colors?" Hermione thought Mrs. Finnigan's statement was a bit under minded. '_Showing them! You've blinded us with them!_' Hermione looked around once more and shook her head as Mrs. Finnigan continued. "You should see what the Bulgarians have got dangling all over _their _tents. You'll be supporting Ireland, of course?" Hermione nodded fervently as Mrs. Finnigan eyed them before finally letting them go on their way.

"Like we'd say anything else surrounded by that lot." Ron had spoke Hermione's mind as another question popped into her head.

"I wonder what the Bulgarians have got dangling all over their tents?"

"Let's go and have a look," Harry said as he pointed to a bunch of red, white, and green tents with the Bulgarian flag flying above that lay ahead of them. When they got there, there was posters of the same moving face plastered everywhere. Hermione was a bit intrigued by this dark looking face with its heavy black eyebrows and large nose.

"Krum," Ron spoke softly.

"What?" Hermione had no idea what he was talking about.

"Krum! Victor Krum, the Bulgarian Seeker!"

"He looks really grumpy," Hermione said as she tilted her head to one side and continued to observe the strange moving face.

"'_Really grumpy_'? Who cares what he looks like? He's unbelievable. He's really young too. Only just eighteen or something. He's a _genius_, you wait until tonight, you'll see." Hermione thought about what Ron had just said. '_A genius? How can anyone in Quidditch be a genius? Honestly... what a load of horse pooh!_' Hermione was awoke from her thoughts though as she quickly looked up and saw that Ron had stopped in front of her. There was a long line for the water pump and it looked as though they would be waiting a while.

"Oh bother," Hermione sighed as she looked around. "So much for catching up on beauty sleep." Hermione's eyes stopped though as she saw something that struck her as quite funny.

"Just put them on, Archie, there's a good chap. You can't walk around like that, the Muggle at the gate's already getting suspicious-," said one wizard to an older looking one.

"I bought this in a Muggle shop," said the older wizard named Archie. "Muggles wear them."

"Muggle _women_ wear them, Archie, not the men, they wear _these_," said the younger wizard in exasperation as he held out a pair of pajamas pants to Archie. Hermione was already in a fit of silent giggles at just seeing the old wizard in a woman's night gown, but what he said next broke the control she had over her fit of laughter.

"I'm not putting them on. I like the healthy breeze 'round my privates, thanks." Hermione shoved the kettle into Harry's hands as she ran off, hands covering her mouth as she turned red from holding back the laughter. She was laughing and giggling as she stood by herself a ways away from Harry and Ron who were still in line. Hermione was finally starting to calm down when someone from behind her began speaking to her.

"What's so funny," Cedric Diggory asked.

"Oh! Um...," Hermione gasped in a flustered sort of way. "Nothing," she said finally as he smiled at her and she bowed her head.

"You're Potter's friend, aren't you," Diggory said in an attempt to start a conversation.

"Yes," Hermione answered with her head still bowed and in a timid tone.

"The really smart one?"

"I wouldn't say that."

"Oh, it's no secret that you're the best in your year. You'll make a great prefect," Cedric said politely.

"Thanks," Hermione muttered.

"Well... I'll see you around then," Cedric said as he spotted Cho Chang and went off to join her.

"'Bye," Hermione sighed as she watched him walk over and give Cho a kiss on the cheek. Hermione sighed and figured that she best be getting back to help Harry and Ron. '_She's so lucky_' Hermione thought as she looked over her shoulder at Cedric and Cho who were now holding hands.


	3. The Quidditch World Cup and a Scare

Chapter 3 - The Quidditch World Cup and a Scare

Hermione sat about leisurely the rest of the day, occasionally laughing to herself as she recalled Mr. Weasley playing with the matches or the old wizard in the night gown. Other times, she and Ginny would play Exploding Snap in their tents or Hermione would stand around silently as Mr. Weasley introduce her, Harry, and his children to various wizards from the Ministry. The time for the Quidditch Cup was drawing nearer and nearer as the salesmen began appearing, the Golden Trio walking about them.

"Wow, look at these!" Harry rushed over to a cart that was laden with brass binoculars with knobs here and there.

"Omnioculars," said the salesmen who owned the cart. "You can replay action... slow everything down... and they flash up a play-by-play breakdown if you need. Bargain – ten Galleons each."

"I wish I hadn't bought this now," Ron said as he stood there looking at the Omnioculars while holding his dancing shamrock hat.

"Three pairs," Harry told the wizard.

"No – don't bother," Ron said as he went a bit scarlet. Hermione hated to see this happen. She loved how Harry always wanted to get them things and show them how much he cared, but she hated to see Ron embarrassed by it. '_Poor Ron_' Hermione thought helplessly, but Harry soon made her smile as he tried to persuade Ron.

"You won't be getting anything for Christmas," Harry said with a wink to Hermione that went unnoticed by Ron. "For about ten years mind you," Harry continued to joke.

"Fair enough," Ron said as he took at least the first part of Harry's joke seriously.

"Oooh, thanks, Harry," Hermione said as she examined the pair Harry bought her. "And I'll get us some programs, look-" Hermione picked up a brochure that was velvet-covered and tasseled with pictures of the Ireland and Bulgarian team. It told about each player and the scores of the games the teams had won to get to the Cup. Hermione and the boys made their way back to the tents, happy and excited as they heard a gong sound in the distance as many wizards and witches began moving toward the woods.

"It's time! Come on, let's go," Mr. Weasley said with a rushing thrill as he and the rest of the group fell in line and walked to the stadium. Along a lantern-lit trial, up purple carpeted stairs, and to their seats Mr. Weasley led them as they laughed and talked animatedly about the nearing event. Hermione had taken her seat and began flipping through her program as everyone around her filled the seats and the game prepared to begin. She was deeply immersed in the program until she heard the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge; announce the arrival of Lucius Malfoy. Hermione, Harry, and Ron turned quickly around and saw Lucius Malfoy, Draco, and Draco's mother edging into the Top Box.

"Oh, great," Hermione groaned as she realized that being in the Top Box, the best seats in the stadium, wasn't going to be as enjoyable as she had thought. Then Fudge made the worse mistake possible as he began introducing people.

"And allow me to introduce you to Mr. Oblansk – Oblansk – Mr. – well, he's the Bulgarian Minister of Magic, and he can't understand a word I'm saying anyway, so never mind. And let's see who else – you know Arthur Weasley, I daresay?" There was a moment's tense silence in which Hermione wished she was anywhere else in the world during. Then Lucius made a remark that made her want to curse him to oblivion.

"Good lord, Arthur," Lucius said softly as he looked at all the Weasley children, Harry, and lastly Hermione with a special look of malice. "What did you have to sell to get seats in the Top Box? Surely your house wouldn't have fetched this much?" Hermione glared at the Malfoy's as she felt like tackling Draco and slapping both of his parents, but she was soon distracted as she had to try and keep Ron in his seat. Once Ron had calmed down, Hermione looked back up at Lucius who returned her glare causing her to flush a bit, but she wasn't going to show fear or weakness as she stared back with determination.

"Slimy gits," Ron muttered angrily as the Malfoy's took there seats, Draco throwing Hermione and the boys a rather nasty look. But that's all that was said as Ludo Bagman, Head of Magical Games and Sports came into the Top Box and began talking excitedly.

"Everyone ready? Minister – ready to go?"

"Ready when you are, Ludo," Fudge replied with a polite smile as he sat there looking comfortable and content.

"_Sonorus!_" Ludo's voice boomed out over the crowd from the top box like he was on loudspeaker. "Ladies and gentlemen... welcome! Welcome to the final of the four hundred and twenty-second Quidditch World Cup!" The good feeling of excitement and happiness filtered slowly back into Hermione as the fans screamed and she forgot all about Malfoy and his parents sitting behind her. "And now, without further ado, allow me to introduce... the Bulgarian National Team Mascots!"

"I wonder what they've brought," Mr. Weasley asked as everyone bobbed their heads back and forth trying to see the mascots come onto the pitch. Hermione was so busy trying to see that it scared her when Mr. Weasley exclaimed his excitement while cleaning his glasses on his robes. "Aaah! _Veela!_"

"What are veel–?" Harry had begun to ask what Hermione was wondering, she had never read about anything like that before. Their question was soon answered though as about a hundred veela came gliding onto the field. Hermione watched in curiosity as music started and the veela began to dance on the field. '_Oh, if it isn't bad enough that it's a jug-headed men's game, they have woman dancing out there_' Hermione thought in irritation, but she was soon snapped from her thoughts as she noticed Harry and Ron rise from their seats.

"Harry, what _are_ you doing?" Hermione felt anger go coursing through her as the music stopped and Harry and Ron came to their senses. Both looking thoroughly embarrassed climbed off the wall of the Top Box. Hermione rolled her eyes as Ron began shredding the shamrocks on his green dancing hat.

"You'll be wanting that," Mr. Weasley said as he took the hand out of Ron's hands, "once Ireland have had their say." Hermione made a loud tutting noise as she grabbed Harry by the back of his shirt and pulled him back into his seat.

"_Honestly!_" Harry caught the furious bark to Hermione's tone and blushed as she sat there with her arms folded across her chest.

"And now," Ludo Bagman roared, "kindly put your wands in the air... for the Irish National Team Mascots!"

"Excellent!" Ron was now excitedly grabbing up gold as it fell from a large green and gold shamrock that had emerged from a great fireworks display.

"Leprechauns!" Mr. Weasley had directed Hermione's attention to the little beard men that made up the shamrock that was flying overhead, but her attention was drawn back to Ron who was shouting happily.

"There you go," he yelled as he shoved gold into Harry's hands as Harry sat there looking astonished, "for the Omnioculars! Now you've got to buy me a Christmas present, ha!" Hermione giggled as she watched the coin in her hand disappear, but she wouldn't say anything to the two of them. Ron was so happy she didn't want to spoil it, and she knew it wouldn't matter to Harry anyways. Her attention was now directed back to the field as Ludo Bagman began announcing the players.

"Ivanova! Zograf! Levski! Vulchanov! Aaaaaaand – _Krum!_"

"That's him, that's him," Ron exclaimed pointing to the scarlet robed player who had just came soaring onto the field as he bounced up and down in his seat. Hermione looked through her Omnioculars at the man on the broom. '_Wow, he's eighteen_' she thought as she looked at him. He didn't look eighteen, and in fact, he looked much better in person than he had on the posters where he was scowling. Hermione stopped staring at Krum though, as Ludo announced the Irish players and they came out onto the pitch.

"And now, please greet – the Irish National Quidditch Team! Presenting – Connolly! Ryan! Troy! Mullet! Moran! Quigley! Aaaaaand – _Lynch!_ And here, all the way from Egypt, our referee, acclaimed Chairwizard of the International Association of Quidditch, Hassan Mostafa!" The game had begun, Hermione sitting on the edge of her seat with the Omnioculars in front of her eyes, watching every play closely with the play-by-play feature of the Omnioculars on. "TROY SCORES," Ludo screamed as Hermione continued to watch the game through Omnioculars, his words ringing in her ears and making her wince a bit. Hermione was fast growing bored with what was happening though as she watched it. She could stand the games at Hogwarts because it was her friends and that excited her, but this was people who she knew nothing about besides what she read in her program.

"What's the matter with you," Ron asked as he heard Hermione sigh in a bored sort of way.

"Nothing," Hermione said as she lowered the Omnioculars and stared around at the mass of red and green that was the crowd. Just then, there was a group gasp from the crowd that made Hermione look up at the players in surprise. She saw the two Seekers diving down straight to the ground, speeding madly as though the only thing that would stop them was the turf below. Hermione's eyes grew wide as she quickly raised her Omnioculars back up to her eyes, focusing them on the Seekers. Hermione didn't see a Snitch, adjusting the lens, she still didn't see it. Suddenly it hit her what was going on. "They're going to crash," she screamed, but she was only half right. She watched Krum pull out at the last minute as Lynch hit the ground, unable to stop because of his speed and momentum.

"Fool! Krum was feinting!" This got Hermione interested as she wondering what Mr. Weasley was talking about. '_Feinting?_' Hermione pressed a little button on her Omnioculars marked 'replay' and then twisted the speed dial as slow as it would go while the play-by-play flashed upon the screen of the Omnioculars. WRONKSKI DEFENSIVE FEINT – DANGEROUS SEEKER DIVERSION the words flashed as Hermione watched Krum on the replay. '_He is brilliant considering he did that_' Hermione thought as she watched a smile appear on his face while he looked out of the corner of his eye at Lynch who was soar downward beside him. '_And he's got quite a cute smile too!_' Hermione put her Omnioculars back to normal as Bagman continued to call the game.

"And Mostafa takes the Bulgarian Keeper to task for cobbing – excessive use of elbows! And – yes, it's a penalty to Ireland!" At this, the leprechauns began to tease the veela who jumped to their feet and began dancing. Hermione watched on either side of her as Harry and the Weasley men put their fingers into their ears. Hermione looked back down onto the field and found what she saw quite funny.

"Look at the referee!" She pulled Harry's fingers out of his ears as she sat there giggling at what was taking place. Mostafa was in front of the dancing veela, flexing his muscles, obviously trying to impress the veela. Hermione broke into an even worse fit of giggles as Ludo Bagman began speaking again.

"Now, we can't have that! Somebody slap the referee!" There was a loud roar of laughter from the crowd as a mediwizard came running across the pitch, fingers in his ears as he stopped and kicked Mostafa in the shins, bringing him back to his senses. A few minutes later, Bagman called that there was now two penalties for Ireland because the Bulgarian Beaters were arguing with the ref about sending the veela away. The game resumed and Hermione found herself growing bored again as she watched the game, playing with the buttons on her Omnioculars now as they laid in her lap. Hermione felt that she was going to die of boredom soon, when Harry suddenly began to yell.

"_Look at Lynch!_" Hermione hurriedly put the Omnioculars to her face and watched Lynch, the Irish Seeker, speed off after the Golden Snitch, but Victor Krum was fast to catch up and stay on his tail. Hermione's eyes grew wide as she dropped the Omnioculars and she gasped as she clapped her hands to her mouth.

"They're going to crash," she shrieked.

"They're not," Ron roared.

"Lynch is," Harry corrected in a yell. For the second time in the game, Lynch hit the ground and that left Krum to catch the Snitch. "He's got it – Krum's got it – it's all over," Harry shouted excitedly as Victor rose gently into the air with the Snitch in hand and his nose bleeding badly. '_When did that happen_' Hermione wondered as she looked at him through her Omnioculars.

"IRELAND WINS!" Hermione's ears rang with Bagman's bellow of the winner as she turned her gaze to the scoreboard which read BULGARIA: 160, IRELAND: 170.

"What did he catch the Snitch for?" Ron seemed to be angry with Krum for catching the Snitch, but Harry knew exactly why as he explained it to him.

"He knew they were never going to catch up! The Irish Chasers were too good... He wanted to end it on his terms, that's all..."

"He was brave, wasn't he?" Hermione didn't actually mean to voice that, but she thought he had done a great job, bloody nose and all. She leaned curiously over the edge of the Top Box and watched Krum land as he was encircled by mediwizards who were trying to fix his nose. '_My, my! He's smart and determined! And eighteen too_' Hermione thought as she watch Krum refuse the help of the mediwizards.

"And as the Irish team performs a lap of honor, flanked by their mascots, the Quidditch World Cup itself is brought into the Top Box!" Hermione turned around after hearing Bagman announce this and watched the Cup itself being brought in and handed to Fudge. Hermione continued watching in thrill as the Bulgarian players entered the Top Box and began shaking hands with the Ministers. Hermione saw Krum enter and she giggled as she realized that he was much different up close and off of his broom. He walked a little bit funny and even though his face was a mess, he was cute in a weird sort of way, at least to her. The Bulgarian players began to file back out as the Irish players came carrying their Seeker in to accept the Cup. Hermione watched them pass by, a row above her seat. When Krum came past he looked down at her and gave a crooked sort of smile at made him wince from moving his seemingly broken nose. Hermione smiled back as she felt heat rising in her cheeks.

* * *

Hermione was extremely tired, but she was so happy because the atmosphere around her was filled with laughter and jokes and talk of the past World Cup. It was so joyous, that it was infectious. Hermione was sitting around a table with the Weasley's and Harry when Ginny gave a yawn that seemed to pass around the group. Hermione continued to listen to the boys talk about the match before she was startled by Ginny who fell over and upset her hot chocolate as she lay sleeping on the tiny table they were at. After a waking by Mr. Weasley, Ginny and Hermione got up and went to their own tent to go to sleep. 

"Good night, Ginny," Hermione said as she crawled into the bottom bunk on the bunk bed in their tent.

"G-Gooooood night," Ginny yawned as she snuggled beneath the covers. Hermione felt as though she had barely touched her head on the pillow when she heard Mr. Weasley and some other wizards yelling as screams sounded all around them.

"Girls, get up!" Mr. Weasley was standing at the entrance of Hermione and Ginny's tent, pulling on a coat.

"What's going on," Ginny asked as she suddenly woke up and became frighteningly aware of her surroundings.

"Come on, Ginny," Hermione instructed as she grabbed their coats and pulled Ginny from the tent. Mr. Weasley ushered them over to where Harry and Ron were standing. Hermione looked up to see what they were looking at and she saw something that made her stomach drop as she felt as though a bucket of ice had been poured into it. The Muggle named Roberts was flying above the campsite with what must have been his family. Hermione's eyes welled with tears as she watched one of the tiniest Muggles begin to spin, his head flopping from side-to-side as he gained speed.

"That's really sick..." Hermione totally agreed with Ron, in fact it was more than sick to her as she felt like she was going to throw up. Hermione saw Charlie, Percy, and Bill come running out of their tent and head towards the commotion as Mr. Weasley ushered them off in the other direction.

"We're going to help the Ministry! You lot – get into the woods, and _stick together_. I'll come and fetch you when we've sorted this out," Mr. Weasley ordered as he rolled up his sleeves and then ran off to join his sons. Fred and George had joined them and had taken charge as Fred grabbed Ginny's hand.

"C'mon." Everyone followed Fred as he led them into the woods, Hermione peering over her shoulder at the sickening scene behind her. Hermione felt fear coursing through her like blood through her veins as she heard children crying, people screaming, and figures running through the woods. Hermione's fear increase as she heard Ron yell in pain from somewhere in the darkness.

"What happened," Hermione asked as she stopped and Harry ran into her. "Ron, where are you? Oh, this is stupid – _lumos!_" Hermione was a little more relieved to have her wand with her as she pointed the light about the ground until it landed on Ron.

"Tripped over a tree root," he said as he got up from the ground.

"Well, with feet that size, hard not to," said someone from behind them. The Golden Trio spun around, Hermione tossing her wand light onto none other than Draco Malfoy. Ron was furious just at having tripped over the tree root, but Malfoy's remark sent him further into rage as he told Malfoy to do something that made Hermione gasp. "Language, Weasley," Malfoy said. "Hadn't you better be hurrying along, now? You wouldn't like _her_ spotted, would you?" Hermione shivered as he nodded to her at the same time a blast issues from the campsite and a bright green light lit the trees. Draco smirked as he saw the fear in her eyes and she knew that it wasn't good to let him see that as she spoke up.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Granger, they're after _Muggles_," Malfoy hissed. "D'you want to be showing off your knickers in midair? Because if you do, hang around... they're moving this way, and it would give us all a laugh." Hermione wanted to protest, but Harry beat her to it as her heart began to beat madly in her chest.

"Hermione's a witch."

"Have it your way, Potter," said Malfoy with a malicious grin. "If you think they can't spot a Mudblood, stay where you are."

"Watch your mouth," Ron shouted as something dawned on Hermione. Where was Draco's mother and father? The little git wouldn't run off by himself. The last time he had been in this kind of situation, he had ran and left Harry to deal with Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest. Why was he so cool now?

"Never mind, Ron," Hermione said quickly as she grabbed Ron's arm to pull him back away from Malfoy. Hermione's assumptions were only become clearer and clearer with each happening blast from the campsite. People around them were screaming as Draco laughed.

"Scare easily, don't they? I suppose your daddy told you all to hide? What's he up to – trying to rescue the Muggles?" Draco's tone was lazily and careless and this angered Hermione more than if he were to laugh, at least if he laughed, it would acknowledge that he knew something was going on. Harry had apparently been on the same wavelength as Hermione as he spoke to Draco.

"Where're _your_ parents? Out there wearing masks, are they?"

"Well... if they were, I wouldn't be likely to tell you, would I, Potter?" Hermione threw a disgusted look at Malfoy. '_He just pretty much confessed it and he's not a bit ashamed of it... gutless slime_' Hermione thought angrily.

"Oh come on," she said finally as she could no longer stand to be near Malfoy, "let's go and find the others."

"Keep that big bushy head down, Granger!"

"Come _on_," Hermione repeated as she pulled Harry and Ron along with her in fear that if she stayed any longer, she would be the one needing to be held back.

"I'll bet you anything his dad _is_ one of that masked lot," Ron said hotly as they went along the forest path by Hermione's wand light, looking for the twins and Ginny.

"Well, with any luck, the Ministry will catch him," Hermione said as she tried to calm herself some. She needed to hope for something right now, or else she would fall to pieces from fear and anxiety. They didn't see the twins or Ginny anywhere as they ran into some girls along the path.

"_Où est Madame Maxime? Nous l'avons perdue_–," one of the girls quickly said as she tried to ask them something.

"Er– what?" Ron had no idea what she wanted and this seemed to anger her as she turned and walked away while saying something about that sounded like 'Ogwarts.'

"Beauxbatons," Hermione muttered.

"Sorry?" Harry seemed to have no idea what Hermione was talking about.

"They must go to Beauxbatons. You know... Beauxbatons Academy of Magic... I read it in _An Appraisal of Magical Education in Europe._"

"Oh... yeah... right," Harry said as he still sounded confused.

"Fred and George can't have gone that far," Ron said as he took out his wand and lit it like Hermione's.

"Ah, no, I don't believe it... I've lost my wand!" Harry was searching frantically in his pockets for his wand as Hermione and Ron turned to him.

"You're kidding," Hermione said in anxiety.

"Maybe it's back in the tent," Ron said.

"Maybe it fell out of your pocket when we were running?" Hermione was starting to feel sorry for Harry as she realized that this couldn't happen at a worser time.

"Yeah, maybe..." Harry was still searching his pockets as he agreed, hoping that one of them were right and that he would be able to find it. Just then, something in the bushes moved and the three of them drew closer as it get nearer to them.


	4. Dark Mark & Hermione's HouseElf Rage

Chapter 4 - The Dark Mark and Hermione's House-Elf Rage

Out of the bushes came the house-elf, Winky. She had been in the Top Box during the Quidditch World Cup. Right now though, she was acting stranger than she had then as she struggled and whined about bad wizards before being drug off back through the bushes.

"What's up with her," Ron asked as they looked after her cries. "Why can't she run properly?"

"Bet she didn't ask permission to hide," Harry answered. Hermione was deeply angered by how house-elves acted, and in a time like this it pained her to see a little creature like that torn between following orders and doing what it naturally knew was a good thing to do by getting away from the danger.

"You know, house-elves get a _very_ raw deal! It's slavery, that's what it is! That Mr. Crouch made her go up to the top of the stadium, and she was terrified, and he's got her bewitched so she can't ever run when they start trampling tents! Why doesn't anyone _do_ something about it?"

"Well, the elves are happy, aren't they?" Ron had said the wrong thing totally as Hermione's fear from before was replaced with a sudden righteous bout of rage. "You heard old Winky back in the match... 'House-elves is no supposed to have fun'... that's what she likes, being bossed around..."

"It's people like _you_, Ron, who prop up rotten and unjust systems, just because they're too lazy to–," Hermione started to snarl before Ron realized that this was the wrong place, wrong time for something like this when a blast came from the camp grounds.

"Let's just keep moving, shall we?" Hermione knew why he wanted to keep moving and it wasn't because he didn't want to fight with her. She didn't need to see the look on his face to know that he was worried about the attackers in masks getting her like Malfoy had said. They continued through the woods, Hermione still feeling a bit angry about the whole house-elf thing, but not saying another word on the matter. They were losing hope on finding the twins and Ginny when they ran into something Ron and Harry found funny despite the current state of things. There were three boys trying to impress the veela by telling them all sorts of outlandish things.

"_Honestly!_" Hermione had seen enough of this stupidity over these veela women and she thought Harry and Ron had had a good enough laugh as she grabbed them both up and made them keep moving in search of Ron's siblings before the two of them started doing something stupid along with those other three boys. Hermione and them went a ways further before stopping and deciding to wait there, running into Bagman while they were there. He was there only a short while as he looked more frightened than the three of them put together. "Not exactly on top of things, Mr. Bagman, is he?" Hermione frowned as she looked at the two boys.

"He was a great Beater, though," Ron sighed as he shrugged and they stared off into the forest. They had been waiting for a while as it got rather quiet, which to Hermione was worse than hearing the screams because at least then she had some idea of what was going on.

"I hope the others are okay," she sighed to break the silence.

"They'll be fine," Ron assured her.

"Imagine if your dad catches Lucius Malfoy," Harry said as he sat down next to Ron. Hermione could tell that Harry was trying to change the subject to something a little hopeful as things began to look bleak. "He's always said he's like to get something on him."

"That'd wipe the smirk off old Draco's face, all right," Ron said with dignified anger.

"Those poor Muggles, though," Hermione thought aloud. "What if they can't get them down?" She didn't mean to, but she wondered how horrible it must be to be up in the air like that. Then, without warning, a vision of her, her mom, and dad popped into her head. Spinning in circles sixty feet above their front lawn just as they little child had done over the tents. Hermione whimpered and Ron looked over at her quickly as Harry looked at Ron in a worried way.

"They will," he said reassuringly. "They'll find a way."

"Mad, though, to do something like that when the whole Ministry of Magic's out here tonight!" Hermione was trying desperately to convince herself that the Ministry would save the Roberts's and that nothing like that could ever happen to her family. "I mean how do you expect to get away with it? Do you think they've been drinking, or are they just–," Hermione was still trying to come up with a way to make it unlikely that they would attack her family like that as an image of her mother hanging upside-down came back to mind, but that wasn't why she had stopped. There were footsteps drawing near the clearing where they sat waiting.

"Hello?" Harry stood up and looked about as he called, but they still didn't see anyone, or hear them move again. "Who's there?" Sudden, there was a shout of a spell and Hermione sank down to avoid it if it came flying through the air at them.

"MORSMORDRE!"

"What the–?" Ron had jumped to his feet with the gasp of words as a green, glittering light shot up through and above the trees. Fear pulsated in the air with screams as Hermione felt a chill take over her body. The Dark Mark, the sign of Voldemort, was flying high over them in the skies.

"Harry, come on, _move_!" Hermione seized Harry by the collar of his shirt and began tugging him away as he continued to question whoever had cast the spell. Hermione didn't want to be anywhere near that area as she tried to pull Harry along, his questions ending when he asked her what was the matter with her. "It's the Dark Mark, Harry! You-Know-Who's sign!" Hermione didn't want to stop and answer his questions as she feared that they would get her and she would suffer the same thing the Muggles were suffering just as Malfoy had said.

"_Voldemort's_–?"

"Harry, come _on_!" Hermione couldn't believe that he kept asking questions instead of moving. He knew what Voldemort was, why wasn't he moving! She just wanted to move, get away from the clearing that they had been sitting in, but there would be no such thing happening as twenty of the adult wizards Apparated to that spot. Hermione shrieked as she began extremely jarred by their sudden appearance, but she calmed some as she realized that they were with the Ministry. Everything from there became a blur as Harry yelled at her and Ron.

"DUCK!"

"_STUPEFY!_" Twenty voices had shouted and cast a spell right at where Hermione, Ron, and Harry had been standing as they now lay on the ground covering themselves for safety from the curses.

"Stop! STOP! _That's my son!_" Hermione was relieved to hear Mr. Weasley tell the wizards to call everything to a stop. "Ron – Harry – Hermione – are you all right?" The kids didn't have time to answer as Mr. Weasley was told quite rudely to get out of the way by Mr. Crouch who began asking them which one of them had conjured the Dark Mark.

"We didn't do that," Harry protested as he gestured up to the skull that had a snake protruding from its mouth.

"We didn't do anything! What did you want to attack us for?" Ron's question didn't go over too well with Mr. Crouch as he began calling Ron a liar and asking where the Dark Mark came from. A witch with the group of adults tried to show the truth in what Ron was saying, but Mr. Crouch wasn't going to hear anyone's sense making as he questioned the Golden Trio about where the Dark Mark came from then. Mr. Weasley then gave into Crouch's questioning and asking them the same, yet in a slightly nicer way.

"Over there," Hermione said a bit timidly and shakily as she was still quite worked up over what happened only a few minutes ago. "There was someone behind the trees... they shouted words – an incantation–"

"Oh, stood over there, did they?" Mr. Crouch rounded on the already horrified Hermione, scaring her further as he continued to yell at her. "Said an incantation, did they? You seem very well informed about how that Mark is summoned, missy–" Hermione went wide eyed as he continued to yell at her, fear shivering up and down her spine as his eyes bulged with each new word.

"We're too late," said the same witch that had tried to make reasoning earlier. "They'll have Disapparated."

"I don't think so," Amos Diggory, Cedric's father, said as he came forward. "Our Stunners went right through those trees... There's a good chance we got them..."

"Amos, be careful!" Hermione gasped and clapped her hands to her mouth as the wizards and witches yelled to him while he went over into the trees where Hermione had pointed earlier.

"Yes! We got them! There's someone here! Unconscious! It's– but– blimey..."

"You've got someone?" Mr. Crouch quit trying to stare Hermione down and turned in the direction of Amos's voice as he called after him in disbelief. "Who? Who is it?" Diggory appeared a few minutes later carrying Mr. Crouch's elf, Winky. "This – cannot – be," Crouch stuttered.

"No point, Mr. Crouch," Mr. Diggory said as Crouch went over to the trees and bushes where Amos had just returned from. "There's no one else there." Hermione looked from Winky to the trees, waiting for Crouch to return. '_That hadn't sounded like Winky who had cast that spell_' Hermione thought as Amos spoke again, joined by Mr. Weasley.

"_What?_" Mr. Weasley's surprised and slightly confused question had brought Hermione back to the conversation as she looked to Amos who was holding a wand that Hermione faintly recognized.

"Here, look," Amos said as he held the wand out. "Had it in her hand. So that's clause three of the Code of Wand Use broken, for a start. _No non-human creature is permitted to carry or use a wand._" Hermione looked down at Winky as Bagman appeared again, stepping on her some as he stumbled about. She stood listening to what he had to say about the elf saving Crouch's seat in the Top Box while Crouch was in fact absent the whole time. After a few minutes, something dawned on Bagman as he looked from Winky to Crouch.

"_No!_ Winky? Conjure the Dark Mark? She wouldn't know how! She'd need a wand, for a start!" Amos presented the evidence again, and then woke Winky from her unconscious state. Hermione stood there quietly listening to the interrogation of the frightened little house-elf, fighting back tears and protests all the while. The wand was then identified as Harry's which confirmed Hermione's recognition on it, but the interrogation of the elf continued, Harry's identification only making the questioning of Winky fiercer. The elf whimpered and trembled so that it pained Hermione to see it. Hermione couldn't stand it any longer as she heard Winky really start crying.

"It wasn't her! Winky's got a squeaky little voice, and the voice we heard doing the incantation was much deeper!" Hermione suddenly regretted her outburst as everyone turned to her and stared at her while she looked to Harry and Ron for support, Harry finally coming to her rescue.

"No. It definitely didn't sound like an elf."

"Yeah, it was a human voice," Ron chimed in as he realized that Hermione was in need when she and Harry looked at him for support.

"Well, we'll soon see," Amos growled. "There's a simple way of discovering the last spell a wand performed, elf, did you know that?" Hermione's eyes filled with tears as she bit down on her lip when Winky trembled before Amos as he raised his wand and put it point-to-point with Harry's. "_Prior Incantato!_" Hermione gasped and shuddered as she closed her eyes when the Dark Mark appeared from the end of Harry's wand. Hermione stood back watching in terror as Amos continued to shout at the shaking elf as she tried to claim her innocence. To Hermione's slight relief, Mr. Weasley came to the aid of Winky, followed by Winky's own master, Mr. Crouch. Hermione was starting to feel thankful for Mr. Crouch's sudden save of Winky, but he got back onto Hermione's bad side when he finished the way he did.

"Winky has behaved tonight in a manner I would not have believed possible. I told her to remain in the tent. I told her to stay there while I went to sort out the trouble. And I find that she disobeyed me. _This means clothes_." To Hermione, this felt like watching an execution.

"No!" Hermione swallowed hard as Winky shrieked at Mr. Crouch while throwing herself upon his feet. "No, master! Not clothes, not clothes!" Hermione was dying inside and she could keep quiet no longer.

"But she was frightened! Your elf's scared of heights, and those wizards in masks were levitating people! You can't blame here for wanting to get out of their way!" Hermione's words fell on deaf ears though as Crouch stepped away from Winky and continued to his dismissal of her while looking at Hermione with a harsh expression.

"I have no use for a house-elf who disobeys me. I have no use for a servant who forgets what is due to her master, and to her master's reputation." Hermione wanted to curse Mr. Crouch as she glared at him while Mr. Weasley began to speak. Hermione stared at Crouch still more furiously as Amos handed Harry his wand and Mr. Weasley tried to get the three of them to leave.

"Hermione!" Mr. Weasley's words were demanding and they finally made Hermione turn away as she took one last look at the sobbing elf.

"What's going to happen to Winky?" Hermione was so worried about the little elf as they made their way back to the campsite.

"I don't know," Mr. Weasley answered.

"The way they were treating her! Mr. Diggory, calling her 'elf' all the time... and Mr. Crouch! He knows she didn't do it and he's still going to sack her! He didn't care how frightened she's been, or how upset she was – it was like she wasn't even human!" Hermione had dropped her sorrow filled tone for a furious one.

"Well, she's not," Ron said, not really thinking about what he had said. Hermione's eyes bulged as she turned on Ron.

"That doesn't mean she hasn't got feelings, Ron. It's disgusting the way–"

"Hermione, I agree with you," Mr. Weasley said quickly, trying to avoid a fight between his son and Hermione, "but now is not the time to discuss elf rights. I want to get back to the tent as fast as we can. What happened to the others?"

"We lost them in the dark," Ron answered. "Dad, why was everyone so uptight about that skull thing?" Hermione looked at Ron with more annoyance now because what he had just asked proved that he didn't listen to her. '_I explained that to Harry, Ron! I told you that it's the sign of Voldemort!_' Mr. Weasley and the Golden Trio made it back to the tents with only a minor hold up of wizards and witches asking about what happened and if Voldemort had returned, Hermione doing a good job of keeping quiet about the outrageous actions of Mr. Crouch, at least until she got back to the tent. When they got back there, Percy began speaking his mind on what he thought about Mr. Crouch doing to Winky and it only made Hermione even more mad.

"Well, Mr. Crouch is quite right to get rid of an elf like that! Running away when he'd expressly told her not to... embarrassing him in front of the whole Ministry... how would that have looked, if she'd been brought up in front of the Department for the Regulation and Control–"

"She didn't do anything – she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time," Hermione exploded, much to everyone's surprise.

"Hermione, a wizard in Mr. Crouch's position can't afford a house-elf who's going to run amok with a wand!"

"She didn't run amok! She just picked it up off the ground!" Hermione was growing angrier with Percy by the minute and he had seemed to have recovered from his shock of her outburst because he too was now getting angry. Hermione and Percy were now in a stare off as Ron asked what the Mark had been. "I told you, it's You-Know-Who's symbol, Ron," Hermione shouted before anyone could say anything. "I read about it in _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts._"

"And it hasn't been seen for thirteen years. Of course people panicked... it was almost like seeing You-Know-Who back again." Mr. Weasley further continued to explain the meaning of the Mark as Ron asked more and more questions; Hermione was starting to grow tired of being in the presence of everyone. She wanted to be alone right now, but there was no hope of that with all the Weasley's and Harry talking about the Dark Mark and its meaning.

"But if they _were_ Death Eaters, why did they Disapparate when they saw the Dark Mark," Ron asked, still bewildered. "They'd been pleased to see it, wouldn't they?"

"Use your brains, Ron," Bill said. "If they really were Death Eaters, they worked very hard to keep out of Azkaban when You-Know-Who lost power, and told all sorts of lies about him forcing them to kill and torture people. I bet they'd be even more frightened than the rest of us to see him come back. They denied they'd ever being involved with him when he lost his powers, and went back to their daily lives... I don't reckon he'd be over-pleased with them, do you?"

"So... whoever conjured the Dark Mark...," Hermione began slowly in hopes of stopping the conversation once and for all, "were they doing it to show support for the Death Eaters, or to scare them away?"

"Your guess is as good as ours, Hermione," Mr. Weasley answered. "But I tell you this... it was only the Death Eaters who ever knew how to conjure it. I'd be very surprised if the person who did it hadn't been a Death Eater once, even if they're not now..." Then to Hermione's relief, Mr. Weasley said something she had been waiting to hear since they came back to the campsite. "Listen, it's very late, and if your mother hears what's happened she'll be worried sick. We'll get a few more hours sleep and then try and get an early Portkey out of here." Hermione got up gratefully and went into her tent, taking off her coat and crawling into bed under the covers, finally feeling a little bit safe for the first time that night since she had been awoken.


	5. Back to Hogwarts

Chapter 5 - Back to Hogwarts

"Oh thank goodness, thank goodness!" Mrs. Weasley came running across the front yard of the Burrow as the Weasley's, Hermione, and Harry came trudging back to the house in the early hours of the next morning. Hermione watched her throw herself on Mr. Weasley as the _Daily Prophet_ came falling out of her hands. There was a short welcoming home and apology from Mrs. Weasley (to the twins) before they went into the house, all of them jammed tight into the kitchen of the Burrow.

"Here, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione said as she made the distraught Molly a cup of tea and gave it to her while Mr. Weasley and Percy looked at the paper and the others stood around silently. Hermione stood back and watched as Mr. Weasley looked over at his wife and then got up and got out a bottle of Ogdens Old Firewhiskey, pouring Mrs. Weasley a shot. Hermione didn't notice much more as she began staring off into space, her mind still on poor little Winky. She remained in her daze for a few minutes until Harry's voice broke into her thoughts and she turned and looked at him as he spoke to Mrs. Weasley.

"Mrs. Weasley, Hedwig hasn't arrived with a letter for me, has she?"

"Hedwig, dear? No... no, there hasn't been any post at all." Ron now joined Hermione in looking at Harry who began to talk to him now.

"All right if I go and dump my stuff in your room, Ron?"

"Yeah... I think I will too," Ron said as he caught on to what Harry was truly meaning. "Hermione?"

"Yes," she said a little more quickly than she had intended in her hurry to get out of the kitchen and hear about something else rather than the events of last night. They were on their way up the stairs when Ron finally spoke up.

"What's up, Harry?" They were now safely in the silence of Ron's attic room as Harry began to explain what was going on.

"There's something I haven't told you. On Saturday morning, I woke up with my scar hurting again." This came a quite a shock to Hermione as she wondered what this could mean. '_The last time Harry's scar hurt, Voldemort was at Hogwarts. And then those horrible events of last night! What could it all mean though?_' In Hermione's moment of pondering, she had missed a few things Harry and Ron had said, but this didn't stop her from distinctly hearing the name Professor Trelawney. Hermione gave a sort of tutting snort that meant she disapproved as she broke in on their conversation.

"Oh Harry, you aren't going to pay attention to anything that old fraud says?"

"You weren't there," Harry said. "You didn't hear her. This time was different. I told you, she went into a trance – a real one. And she said the Dark Lord would rise again... _greater and more terrible than ever before_... and he's manage it because his servant was going back to him... and that night Wormtail escaped." Hermione remembered all too well the night of their third year that this had happened.

"Why were you asking if Hedwig had come, Harry," Hermione asked as she suddenly remembered Harry's question from the kitchen. Her real reason for changing the subject though was because she didn't want to admit that Trelawney could have had a real prediction. "Are you expecting a letter?"

"I told Sirius about my scar," Harry said with a shrug of his shoulders. "I'm waiting for his answer." Hermione was happy to hear this. '_At least someone listens to me and has come to some kind of sense! I'm glad he told someone._' "I hoped he'd get back to me quickly."

"But we don't know where Sirius is... he could be in Africa or somewhere, couldn't he? Hedwig's not going to manage _that_ journey in a few days."

"Yeah, I know," Harry sighed heavily as he looked to the window. Hermione knew he was missing Sirius and wishing that Hedwig would come soaring through the window right at that moment. '_Poor Harry_.'

"Come and have a game of Quidditch in the orchard, Harry," Ron said, trying to brighten Harry up. '_I understand that he's trying to make Harry feel better, but I don't think Quidditch is the thing. Why do guys always think the answer to everything is Quidditch?_' Hermione sighed and turned to Ron as she spoke.

"Ron, Harry doesn't want to play Quidditch right now... He's worried, and he's tired... We all need to go to bed..."

"Yeah, I want to play Quidditch," Harry said suddenly. "Hang on, I'll get my Firebolt." Hermione sighed as she shook her head and got up and left.

"_Boys!_" Hermione entered Ginny's room and sat down on her makeshift bed as she stared out the window. '_I wonder what Mom and Dad are doing?_' Hermione jumped up and grabbed a piece of paper and a quill from Ginny's desk and sat down as she started to write a letter to her parents.

_ Dear Mom and Dad,_

_ This is just a letter to see how you are doing. I am having a wonderful time here at that Weasleys'._

_ I am just sorry that I have to wait until next summer to see you since I will not be home for Christmas. I am afraid that I will be staying on at Hogwarts to keep Harry company. Besides, Percy (one of the Weasleys' eldest boys which you have yet to meet) says that there is going to be some big to-do at Hogwarts this year that we might want to stay for. I really do not know what it is all about, but I am sure I will find out all in good time._

_ I will be sure to write again when I arrive safely to Hogwarts!_

_ Love,_

_ Hermione_

Hermione sighed and laid her quill down as she read over the letter. She hated to lie to her parents, but then when she thought about it, she wasn't really lying, just not telling the whole truth. She hadn't said that everything was going smoothly with no problems, she had just said that she was having a wonderful time there at the Weasleys'. This was true, it wasn't like the accident at the Cup was destroying her stay totally. They had all got home safely and she as still with her friends. With her mind made up about the letter, Hermione folded it and went upstairs to Ron's room.

"Pig...? Here, Pig!" Hermione looked around Ron's room and in the cage, but she didn't see the little bird anywhere. Then Hermione remembered that Ron had let him out when she had been leaving. Hermione went to the window and looked out, but still there was no sigh of the tiny owl anywhere. "I guess I'll just have to send this lat– OUCH!" Hermione began massaging her temple as she looked out of one eye for what had hit her in the side of the head. There was a crazed twitter and Ron's owl, Pig came flying into the window. "You crazy bird," Hermione grumbled as she picked up her letter and walked over to where the little owl sat bouncing up and down with its leg out. Hermione attached the letter and carried the little owl to the window as she gave it instructions. "Take this to Hermione's, my, house." With that, she tossed him out the window, gasping as she did when he plummeted a few feet before taking to a difficult flight.

* * *

Hermione had went the rest of that week pretty much in silence, reading the new books Mrs. Weasley had picked up in Diagon Alley for her as the rest of the Weasley family and Harry would play chess or talk about Mr. Weasley and the news he brought home from the Ministry. Hermione had made it the whole week listening to the talk with nothing to say because she knew that the culprits were still out there and it scared her, that was until Percy had opened his mouth about one of his favorite subjects, Mr. Crouch. Percy had been talking about how it had been an embarrassment to Mr. Crouch what his elf, Winky, had done and Hermione had heard enough of Percy's pompous talk. 

"If you ask me, Mr. Crouch is very lucky that no one at the _Daily Prophet_ knows how mean he is to house elves!"

"Now look here, Hermione! High-ranking Ministry official like Mr. Crouch deserves unswerving obedience from his servants–"

"His _slave_, you mean! Because he didn't _pay_ Winky, did he?" Hermione had burst so passionately that it made Percy swell up with pompous anger, but luckily Mrs. Weasley stopped the contest of voice raising between the two and told the children to go upstairs to check their new things.

* * *

"Thanks for having us stay, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione called as she boarded the big scarlet engine that was the Hogwart's Express. She, Harry, and Ron went to their train compartment as they train left the station while rain poured down outside. They were talking about how Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Charlie, Percy, and Mr. Weasley had seemed to know about something happening at Hogwarts when Hermione spoke up. 

"Shhh!" Upon obeying her order, the trio heard Malfoy's voice coming from the compartment next to them.

"... Father actually considered sending me to Durmstrang rather than Hogwarts, you know. He knows the Headmaster, you see. Well, you know his opinion of Dumbledore – the man's such a Mudblood-lover – and Durmstrang doesn't admit that sort of riffraff. But Mother didn't like the idea of me going to a school so far away. Father says Durmstrang takes a far more sensible line than Hogwarts about the Dark Arts. Durmstrang students actually _learn_ them, not just the defense rubbish we do..." Hermione had obviously heard enough, in fact she had heard enough after their first year at Hogwarts. She got up and shut the compartment door while seething on her way back to her seat.

"So he thinks Durmstrang would have suited him, does he? I wish he _had_ gone, then we wouldn't have to put up with him."

"Durmstrang's another wizarding school?" Harry's lack of knowledge in the wizarding world was sad considering he was one of the most well-known wizards of his time.

"Yes, and it's got a horrible reputation. According to _An Appraisal of Magical Education in Europe_, it puts a lot of emphasis on the Dark Arts."

"I think I've heard of it," Ron broke in, sounding slightly confused and distant as he spoke about the school. "Where is it? What country?"

"Well, nobody knows, do they?" Hermione's information had often proved valuable, but right now it was only making the subject more confusing seeing as she couldn't tell them where the school was.

"Er– why not?" Harry's confusion hadn't cleared and if anything, it had only got worse.

"There's traditionally been a lot of rivalry between all the magic schools. Durmstrang and Beauxbatons like to conceal their where-abouts so nobody can steal their secrets," Hermione stated as though reading from a book.

"Come off it," Ron laughed. "Durmstrang's got to be about the same size as Hogwarts – how are you going to hide a great big castle?"

"But Hogwarts _is_ hidden. Everyone knows that... well, everyone who reads _Hogwarts: A History_, anyways." Hermione's book knowledge was at times helpful, but now it had turned to an annoyance as she stated what she had in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Just you, then," Ron sighed. "So go on – how'd you hide a place like Hogwarts?"

"It's bewitched. If a Muggle looks at it, all they see is a moldering old ruin with a sign over the entrance saying DANGER, DO NOT ENTER, UNSAFE.

"So Durmstrang will look just like a ruin to an outsider too?"

"Maybe, or it might have Muggle-repelling charms on it, like the World Cup stadium. And to keep foreign wizards from finding it, they'll have made it Unplottable–"

"Come again?"

"Well, you can enchant buildings so it's impossible to plot on a map, can't you?"

"Er... if you say so," Harry mumbled, he felt better agreeing with her than trying to really answer the question.

"But I think Durmstrang must be somewhere in the far north. Somewhere very cold," Hermione said in a know-it-all manner, "because they've got fur capes as part of their uniforms."

"Ah, think of the possibilities," Ron sighed as he gave the expression of a distant thinking. "It would've been so easy to push Malfoy off a glacier and make it look like an accident... Shame his mother likes him..." Ron's comment had made them all laugh, the conversation continuing gleefully on the way to Hogwarts with the brief visit of their other Gryffindor friends, and even the usual annoying visit from Malfoy. He had been drawing out about something and finally fed up with his childish teasing, Hermione interrupted.

"Either explain what you're on about or go away, Malfoy," Hermione sighed with exasperation as she lowered her book and looked at him in mild disgust. His usual smirk dawned on his face at this and he continued in a know-it-all tone that was typical of Hermione when she was excited about something.

"Don't tell me you don't _know_? You've got a father and brother at the Ministry and you don't even _know_? My God, _my_ father told me about it ages ago... heard it from Cornelius Fudge. But then, Father's always associated with the top people at the Ministry... Maybe you father's too junior to know about it, Weasley... yes... they probably don't talk about important stuff in front of him..." Hermione was growing tired of his teasing games and was thankful when he and his goons turned to leave. '_I think a year in a Muggle military school would have done him some good_' Hermione thought as she watched Ron get up angrily and slam the door, breaking the glass out of the door's window.

"_Ron!_" Hermione rolled her eyes and pulled out her wand, pointing it at the glass on the floor. "_Reparo!_" The glass shards flew back up into the window in one piece, unbroken and flawless as it had been before Ron closed the door so violently.

"Well... making it look like he knows everything and we don't... '_Father's always associated with the top people at the Ministry_'," Ron said in a mimicking voice of Malfoy. With an irritated roll of his eyes, Ron resumed his tone as he continued speaking. "Dad could've got a promotion any time... he just likes it where he is..."

"Of course he does. Don't let Malfoy get to you, Ron–," Hermione hated to see her friend worked up over something so stupid as Malfoy and his games, but she knew that there had been meaning behind the part about Ron's family, a subject that was very touchy with Ron.

"Him! Get to me? As if!" Hermione tried to suppress a giggle as Ron picked up a Cauldron Cake and squashed it in his palm, making a bit of a mess on himself. The rest of the train ride went off a little more comfortably than that as Hermione sat staring out the window, watching the downpour of rain and struggling to see the silhouette of the castle getting nearer. The train finally jerked to a halt with the release of a steaming whistle and Hermione sighed as she prepared to go out into the ran, bundling Crookshanks into her cloak. He clawed her side as first years moved excitedly off the train and out into the rain, but the cat finally settled as it decided it would rather be in there than in the downpour.

"Oooh, I wouldn't fancy crossing the lake in this weather," Hermione said in an ardent manner after hearing Hagrid say he'd see them later. She inched along with Ron and Harry toward a carriage, Neville joining them somewhere along the way, she wasn't quite sure when because it was hard to see through the rain as it teemed down on them. Her hair was a wet, stringy mess by the time she reached the carriage, she gratefully pulled it back from her face and wrung it out, water dripping from it in a steady stream. Feeling about ten pounds lighter, Hermione followed Harry and Ron out of the carriage. She wasn't really paying attention when suddenly Ron began bouncing around. Balloons were dropping, the first of them hitting him and the second one narrowly missing her. Hermione was further surprised when McGonagall came out yelling for Peeves, slipping on the floor and grabbing Hermione's neck for support.

"Ouch – sorry, Miss Granger–"

"That's all right, Professor!" Hermione wasn't very reassuring though as she gasped for air and massaged her throat. Hermione watched as McGonagall told Peeves off and then told them to get into the Great Hall, the lot of the students slipping, sliding, and skating clumsily into the Great Hall. Hermione sighed as she sat down at the Gryffindor table, preparing for the usual start of term speech, the Sorting, and the magnificent feast. Hermione scanned the staff table and made an interesting discovery, there was no one up there that could be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. "Where's the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" After a few more minutes, Hermione came to another deduction, a more worry-filled one. "Maybe they couldn't get anyone!" Ron though didn't seem to have the same worries as he spoke up.

"Oh hurry up, I could eat a hippogriff." Hermione rolled her eyes at his comment while thinking in an annoyed way to herself. '_You're always hungry... what's new!_' Hermione looked up as she heard the Sorting Hat begin its song, her heart feeling lighter at the thought of another year. She had been so delighted with her thoughts, that she was only broke from them when she heard Harry and Ron shouting in unison.

"Hear, hear!" Hermione looked around and saw the golden dishes fill with mounds of food as Nearly Headless Nick joined them. Hermione smiled to herself and began filling her plate with all sorts of delectable looking foods. She had been silently listening to the conversation between Nick, Ron, and Harry about Peeves when something horrifying was said that really snagged her attention.

"Oh the usual," Nick sighed, answering Ron's question about what happen. "Wreaked havoc and mayhem. Pots and pans everywhere. Place swimming in soup. Terrified the house-elves out of their wits–" Hermione had been reaching for her goblet and knocked it over when Nick said this.

"There are house-elves _here_? Here at _Hogwarts_?" Her tone was nothing short of shocked as she stared at Nick wide eyed as he answered her.

"Certainly. The largest number in any dwelling in Britain, I believe. Over a hundred."

"I've never seen one," Hermione said, sounding as though she was trying to convince herself that Nick was wrong about the house-elves.

"Well, they hardly ever leave the kitchen by day, do they? They come out at night to do a bit of cleaning... see to the fires and so on... I mean, you're not supposed to see them, are you? That's the mark of a good house-elf, isn't it, that you don't know it's there?" Hermione was silent for a minute, but Ron and Harry knew exactly what was coming. When Hermione found her voice to speak again, she only confirmed their thoughts.

"But they get _paid_? They get _holidays_, don't they? And – and sick leave, and pensions, and everything?"

"Sick leave and pensions? House-elves don't want sick leave and pensions," Nick said to her as she sat there looking still more horrified. Nick's information about the house-elves had made her loose her appetite as she put down her utensils and pushed her plate away from her as though suddenly feeling sick, definitely looking the part too.

"Oh c'mon, 'Er-my-knee," Ron said through a mouthful of pudding, sending bits of it flying across the table at Harry. "Oops – sorry, 'Arry–" Had Hermione not been so distraught, she would have found this funny as Harry grimaced and wiped the pudding off of himself. "You won't get them sick leave by starving yourself!" She had to admit that Ron was right, but the thought of house-elves slaving all day to make her meals made her sick.

"Slave labor. That's what made this dinner. _Slave labor_." Hermione watched in disgust as Harry, Ron, and the other students continued to eat, not bothered by the information of who had made the food. She felt like standing up and yelling at the entire students body as well as they staff who seemed to be eating just as merrily, talking and going about things like nothing was wrong. '_Surely they must know who makes the food. I can't believe it_' Hermione thought as she shook her head and looked away from the staff table.

"Treacle tart, Hermione! Spotted dick, look! Chocolate gateau!" Ron was obviously trying to get Hermione to give in and she hated to show it, but her stomach was rumbling rather loudly by now and her mouth was watering for just one more bite of the delicious food. But she wasn't going to give in and she made that apparent when she threw Ron a disapproving look that made him finally give up. Hermione sat angrily watching as everyone ate still more food. '_I guess this is how the ghosts feel when they watch us eat_' Hermione thought as she looked around at the students. Finally the torture was over and the dishes cleared as Dumbledore got to his feet to give his start of term speech.


	6. Dumbledore's Announcement

Chapter 6 - Dumbledore's Announcement and the Start of Term

"So! Now we are all fed and watered."

"Hmph!" Hermione crossed her arms and slouched grouchily in her seat as she watched Dumbledore beam around at the students. She ignored much of his speech after this out of anger until Harry began to gasp.

"_What?_" This was enough to catch Hermione's attention and turn it back to the older wizard as he continued to speak.

"This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy – but I'm sure you will all enjoy it immensely." At this, Hermione began to wonder if he was talking about the same thing that Percy and the other Weasley's had been.

"Unless it's got anything to do with freeing the slaves that you have in this castle, I might not give you my attention," Hermione thought wryly as Dumbledore continued.

"I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts–" Hermione's stomach was clenched into a ball of nerves as tension mounted on what might be coming to Hogwarts this year, but the tension was drawn out as there was a distraction. The doors of the Great Hall got flung open as thunder rumbled and in walked a cloaked man. Halfway through his clunking walk, he pulled back his hood to show dark gray hair. Hermione was trying desperately to get a good look at the man, but to no avail, at least not until he reached the staff table. A flash of lightning from the enchanted ceiling lit up his face and Hermione gasped in surprise as his face became visible to her.

"Oh my!" It was extremely weathered and scarred as his mouth held a lop-sided frown and his eyes looked greatly out of proportion and discolored as one of them was small and dark and the other large and a bright, vivid blue. What shocked Hermione further was that this eye was moving like that of an iguana, back and forth freely without motion of the other eye. Hermione felt that if she had eaten, she probably would have been gagging back her food in fear of puking. Hermione continued to watch in awe as the man shook Dumbledore's hand and sat down at the staff table, and much to her displeasure, he began eating while Dumbledore continued to speak. "May I introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher? Professor Moody." Hermione didn't have time enough to ponder who he was as Harry spoke her mind.

"Moody? _Mad-Eye Moody? _The one your dad went to help this morning?" Harry looked to Ron who shrugged and answered in an unsure manner.

"Must be."

"What happened to him?" Hermione had once more turned her attention back to him as she tilted her head and tried to look at him from a different angle. "What happened to his _face_?"

"Dunno," Ron whispered as he too looked curiously at Moody. Hermione was forced to tear her attention from him though as Dumbledore continued to speak after clearing his throat.

"As I was saying, we are to have the honor of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event that has not been held for over a century." Hermione's anticipation was enough to strangle her as she became impatient. '_C'mon already! Sheeze! Just tell us and get it over with._' "It is my great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year."

"You're JOKING!" Hermione looked down the table to one of the Weasley twins as the whole of the student body broke out into laughter.

"I am _not_ joking, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore laughed, "though now that you mention it, I did hear an excellent one over the summer about a troll, a hag, and a leprechaun who all go into a bar..." '_Oh, great... more delay_' Hermione thought angrily as she wondered what in the world was the Triwizard Tournament. Hermione suddenly became overly thankful for Professor McGonagall as the Deputy Headmistress cleared her throat loudly to let the Headmaster know that he was getting off subject. "Er– but maybe this is not the time... no...," Dumbledore sighed, "where was I? Ah yes, the Triwizard Tournament... well, some of you will not know what this tournament involves, so I hope those who _do_ know will forgive me for giving a short explanation, and allow their attention to wander freely."

"Yes, yes, wander freely. Just explain it already... I mean who cares. Malfoy is probably the only one who knows and no one cares about him," Hermione hissed to herself. Dumbledore proceeded to explain the tournament, something shocking making Hermione feel slightly nervous as he brought the explanation to an end. "_Death toll?_" Hermione's voice shook with worry as she repeated what Dumbledore had just mentioned as reason for the tournament's closure. Hermione's anxiety was apparently not shared, making her resume her angry feeling. '_Dolts, the lot of them_' Hermione thought as she looked around at the students who had begun to buzz excitedly about the event.

"There have been several attempts over the centuries to reinstate the tournament," Dumbledore continued, "none of which has been very successful." '_Gee, I wonder why... death toll maybe_' Hermione thought sharply. "However, our own departments of International Magical Cooperation and Magical Games and Sports have decided the time is ripe for another attempt." '_Oh, gee, something more headed by Bagman. I wonder what will go wrong with this one!_' Hermione's thoughts were becoming more and more irritatedly smart as Dumbledore's speech progress. "We have worked hard over the summer to ensure that this time, no champion will find himself or herself in mortal danger."

"I should hope so," Hermione mumbled to herself as she sighed and moved a bit in her seat to get comfortable as she felt that there was still a good more bit of speech to come.

"The heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their short-listed contenders in October, and the selection of the three champions will take place at Halloween."

"How exciting... Other schools," Hermione whispered, dropping her annoyed and enraged tone for the first time that night since she found out house-elves made the food.

"An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Galleons personal prize money," Dumbledore proceeded to announce.

"I'm going for it," Hermione heard one of the Weasley twins murmur. She shook her head and gave a sigh of laughter as his face dawned a look of happiness at the thought of being Hogwart's champion.

"Eager though I know all of you will be to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts," Dumbledore said, bringing all attention back to himself, "the heads of the participating schools, along with the Ministry of Magic, have agreed to impose an age restriction on contenders this year." '_No wonder the other schools' list of students is _short-listed' Hermione thought to herself as she rested her elbow upon the table and her cheek upon her fist. "Only students who are of age – that is to say, seventeen years or older – will be allowed to put forward their name for consideration." '_Hmm... sensible. Now if only he'd free the house-elves he'd be my hero for sure_' Hermione thought in a bored fashion as Dumbledore went on. "This is a measure we feel necessary, given that the tournament tasks will still be difficult and dangerous, whatever precautions that we take, and it is highly unlike that students below sixth and seventh year will be able to cope with them. I will personally be ensuring that no under-age student hoodwinks our impartial judge into making them Hogwarts champion. I therefore beg you not to waste your time submitting yourself if you are under seventeen."

"Your begging has fallen on deaf ears if you were talking to Fred and George," Hermione sighed as she looked down the table at the furiously plotting twins. Hermione turned back to Dumbledore as he continued to say that the students from the other schools would be arriving in October and that he wished everyone to make them feel welcome before proceeding to tell everyone that bedtime was drawing near and that they should retire for classes in the morning. Hermione went to get up with all the other students as Dumbledore sat down and began conversing with Moody, but she stopped with she noticed the twins, Ron, and Harry weren't coming. "Come on, we'll be the only ones left here is you don't move," she said as she felt a yawn coming on. She was tiring of talk and complaining of age limits and she wanted nothing more than to go to bed. Harry then asked a question that Hermione had been wondering in the back of her head as they walked through the corridors.

"Who's this impartial judge who's going to decide who the champions are?"

"Dunno," one of the twins answered. Hermione never really was sure which one was which unless they smiled, she always thought that Fred had a more Cheshire type appearance to his smile. "But it's them we'll have to fool. I reckon a couple of drops of Aging Potion might do it, George..." '_Ah, Fred... always a bit more of a trouble-maker than George, even though George isn't usually far behind_' Hermione thought to herself as she shook her head at Fred's determination.

"Dumbledore knows if you're not of age, though," Ron said pointedly. '_And I thought he wasn't all that smart_' Hermione giggled inwardly as she agreed with Ron.

"Yeah, but he's not the one who decides who the champions is, is he," Fred said with a sly grin that made Hermione sure it was Fred and not George. "Sounds to me like once this judge knows who wants to enter, he'll choose the best from each school and never mind how old they are. Dumbledore's trying to stop us giving our names." '_Five years at this school and they're still not wise enough to know Dumbledore's smarter than that_' Hermione thought with mild exasperation and worry as they turned and corner and started up some stairs. Then something hit her, Dumbledore had said there was a death toll, and this didn't stop them from wanting to enter, her worry increased as she thought of Mrs. Weasley getting a letter about Fred and George dying in the tournament. Shaking the thought from her head, she spoke up.

"People have died, though."

"Yeah, but that was years ago, wasn't it? Anyway where's the fun without a bit of risk?" '_That's Fred and George for you, I guess_' Hermione thought, though she still wasn't comfortable with their wanting to enter. That's when Fred did something stupid, at least by Hermione's standards. "Hey, Ron, what if we find out how to get 'round Dumbledore? Fancy entering?" '_Oh, no_' Hermione sighed to herself.

"What d'you reckon?" Hermione watched Ron turn to Harry who shrugged and looked slightly interested. '_That's it, get Harry involved. As if he doesn't get into enough trouble every year, you go dragging him into this!_' "Be cool to enter, wouldn't it," Ron said. "But I s'pose they might want someone older... Dunno is we've learned enough..." '_He's faced You-Know-Who, how much harder could this be. Oh, _great_, now they've got me started_' Hermione groaned silently. Hermione was shocked from her thoughts though as Neville sort of sneaked up on them and began speaking. She started to drown them all out as she watched the stairs for the one you sink in, she hated this staircase. Without warning, Neville went through the exact stair Hermione was worried about falling through and had to be pulled out by Ron and Harry. Once Neville was free, they continued up to Gryffindor Tower and on inside thanks to George who knew the password. They entered as Hermione tried to stifle a rather large yawn, heading straight for her dorm stairs, throwing a dirty look at the loudly crackling fire as she did.

"_Slave labor_," she muttered as she began climbing the stairs. "I suppose my bed was made by them too," she continued to complain as she pulled back the covers before changing into her dressing gown. But Hermione was too tired to worry about this as she climbed into her bed and snuggled under the covers. "I'll worry about it in the morning... I'm going to get them their deserved rights, I swear it," she promised before nodding off.

* * *

The next day at breakfast, the schedules were passed out and Hermione gave her usual opinion on how Divinations was nothing more than nonsense. Ron, as usual, was totally detached from what she was saying and struck up a new subject about Hermione eating breakfast. 

"You're eating again, I notice," he said.

"I've decided there are better ways of making a stand about elf rights," Hermione sighed haughtily.

"Yeah... and you were hungry," Ron laughed. Hermione didn't answer, but her cheeks tinged a pinkish shade as she went about eating her breakfast as the morning post came in. The rest of the morning went just like the many mornings from the previous three years. Their first class was Herbology with the Hufflepuffs, then there was Care of Magical Creatures with the Slytherins where Hagrid had them taking care of Blast-Ended Skrewts. As usual, Draco Malfoy was being his same, annoying, and jerk-like self, so Hermione had to intervene.

"Just because they're not very pretty, it doesn't mean they're not useful," Hermione snapped. Draco had been scoffing off about the Blast-Ended Skrewts and Hermione had apparently heard enough of his arrogant hissing. "Dragon blood's amazingly magical, but you wouldn't want a dragon for a pet, would you?" Hermione knew that there was one exception to this question and that was Hagrid, but no one but her, Harry, and Ron need know that. Malfoy shut up after this, or at least reduced his comments to nothing more than angered muttering as Hermione went back to listening to Hagrid explain about the Blast-Ended Skrewts. The class had ended and that meant that it was now time for lunch, and in Hermione's case, a hurried lunch and a trip to the library. After lunch, Ron and Harry went to Divinations while Hermione went to Arithmancy. After those classes, Hermione caught back up with her two best friends and they were on their way to dinner when Malfoy's usual taunt and torment turned up in the corridor.

"Weasley! Hey, Weasley!"

"What?" Ron was already not in the mood because Professor Trelawney had given them quite a bit of homework.

"Your dad's in the paper, Weasley! Listen to this!" Draco shook a copy of the _Daily Prophet_ and began reading from it. "It seems as thought the Ministry of Magic's troubles are not yet at an end, _writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent_. Recently under fire for its poor crowd control at the Quidditch World Cup, and still unable to account for the disappearance of one of its witches, the Ministry was plunged into fresh embarrassment yesterday by the antics of Arnold Weasley, of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office." Draco looked up from his reading with a snide, sneering smirk as he continued to speak. "Imagine them not even getting his name right, Weasley. It's almost as though he's a complete nonentity, isn't it?"

"Oh, honestly," Hermione grumbled as she looked around and saw that everyone was now standing still in the hall watching what was taking place as Ron shook with fury and turned red while Malfoy went back to reading from the paper.

"Arnold Weasley, who was charged with possession of a flying car two years ago, was yesterday involved in a tussle with several Muggle law-keepers over a number of highly aggressive dustbins. Mr. Weasley appears to have rushed to the aid of "Mad-Eye" Moody, the aged ex-Auror who retired from the Ministry when no longer able to tell the difference between a handshake and attempted murder. Unsurprisingly, Mr. Weasley found, upon arrival at Mr. Moody's heavily guarded house, that Mr. Moody had once again raised a false alarm. Mr. Weasley was forced to modify several memories before he could escape from the policemen, but refused to answer _Daily Prophet_ questions about why he had involved the Ministry in such an undignified and potentially embarrassing scene." Draco looked up once more from the paper and grinned maliciously at Ron through narrowed eyes. Draco further continued to instigate things when he told Ron that there was a picture. "And there's a picture, Weasley! A picture of your parents outside their house – if you can call it a house! You mother could do with losing a bit of weight, couldn't she?"

"What a childish thing to say," Hermione mumbled as she felt something terrible coming on while Ron shook more vigorously with rage.

"Get stuffed, Malfoy," Harry retorted as he turned to Ron. "C'mon Ron..."

"Oh yeah, you were staying with them this summer, weren't you, Potter? So tell me, is his mother really that porky, or is it just the picture?" Draco was really starting to play with fire now as he got not only Ron mad, but Harry as well.

"You know _your_ mother, Malfoy? That expression she's got, like she's got dung under her nose? Has she always looked like that, or was it just because you were there," Harry shot back. Both Hermione and he were now holding Ron back to keep him from charging at Malfoy who had lost his I'm-better-than-you smirk and replaced it with a flushing pink face.

"Don't you dare insult my mother, Potter."

"Keep your fat mouth shut, then," Harry ordered angrily as he turned away from Draco. Hermione watched as Draco went to pull out his wand, but something happened along the way. At first, Hermione wasn't quite sure what was going on because she couldn't see for the large group of students around them, and then next thing she knew, spells were flying through the air, but not from Draco.

"OH NO YOU DON'T, LADDIE!" Hermione had been so preoccupied with finding out who was casting the spells, that it took her a few minutes to notice that Draco had been turned into a cowering, white ferret. The screaming that had accompanied the banging spells had stopped and Moody continued to speak. "Did he get you?"

"No, missed," Harry answered. Hermione could see that he too was in a state of shock from what had just happened.

"LEAVE IT," Moody shouted in the next second.

"Leave – what?" Harry was even more confused now, maybe even as confused as Hermione was shocked to see a teacher attack a student like that.

"Not you – him!" Hermione looked over to the direction in which Moody had just jabbed his thumb and saw a scared looking Crabbe about to pick up the white ferret. '_How did he know that? Malfoy and them are behind him, he couldn't possibly see them_' Hermione reasoned in her head before looking from Harry to Moody. She grimaced as she saw his electric blue eye was no longer looking outward, but instead rolled into the back of his head. Hermione's shock only deepened though as Moody continued his punishment on Draco.

"Oh my," she breathed as Moody turned to Draco and sent his little ferret form bouncing from floor to midair and back again.

"I don't like people who attack when their opponent's back's turned," Moody growled at Draco as he made him bounce higher, the squeak of the ferret increasing as well. "Stinking, cowardly, scummy thing to do..." Hermione was beginning to feel sick, but Ron and Harry looked as though they were tore between amusement and shock. "Never – do – that – again–," Moody grunted.

"Professor Moody!" Minerva McGonagall's voice was like music to Hermione's ears above the sound of the squealing ferret.

"Hello, Professor McGonagall," Moody greeted as though he was doing nothing wrong.

"What – what are you doing," McGonagall asked in an apprehensive tone.

"Teaching."

"Teach – Moody, _is that a student_?"

"Yep."

"No!" Hermione had never seen McGonagall so distraughtly shocked. After turning Draco back, Minerva turned to Moody who looked still like he had before, as though he had done nothing wrong. "Moody, we _never_ use Transfiguration as a punishment! Surely Professor Dumbledore told you that?"

"He might have mentioned it, yeah," Moody replied somewhat airily, "but I thought a good sharp shock–"

"We give detentions, Moody! Or speak with the offender's Head of House!"

"I'll do that, then." Hermione let out the breath she had been holding, but drew it in once more as Moody's voice broke out again. Apparently Draco had said something about his father, but it seemed to have no effect on Moody. "Oh yeah? Well, I know your father of old, boy... You tell him Moody's keeping a close eye on his son... you tell him that from me... Now, your Head of House'll be Snape, will it?"

"Yes," Draco hissed.

"Another old friend. I've been looking forward to a chat with old Snape... Come on, you..." Hermione turned slowly and followed Harry and Ron into the Great Hall, a gigantic grin on Ron's face as they went.

"Don't talk yo me," Ron said, his eyes cast toward the enchanted ceiling.

"Why not?" This day was just getting odder and odder to Hermione, first Moody and Malfoy, and now Ron not wanting her and Harry to talk to him.

"Because I want to fix that in my memory forever," Ron replied. "Draco Malfoy, the amazing bouncing ferret..." Hermione knew it was wrong to laugh because what Moody did was wrong as a teacher, but she couldn't help it, it was in a way funny. Besides, she felt she was entitled to giggle about it at least a little bit because Malfoy was always calling her a Mudblood. Then again something in her head said 'no' as she spoke up on the matter.

"He could have really hurt Malfoy, though. It was good, really, that Professor McGonagall stopped it–"

"Hermione! You're ruining the best moment of my life," Ron protested. She said nothing to this, but began eating rather hurriedly again, just as she had at lunch.

"Don't tell me you're going back to the library this evening," Harry asked with a slight hint of disgust in his voice as he watched her woof down food.

"Got to. Loads to do."

"But you told us Professor Vector–"

"It's not school work," Hermione answered thickly after swallowing a rather large bite and turning to grab her things. It was true that she had no homework, but she had things that she felt were more important to her to do than sit around the dinner table talking.


	7. Harry's Dilemma & Mione's Determination

Chapter 7 – Harry's Dilemma and Hermione's Determination

Hermione was in the library pouring herself over large book after even larger book when someone sat down next to her. She looked up and saw none other than Cedric Diggory who smiled and nodded before greeting her.

"Hello, Hermione. I hope you don't mind my sitting here?" Cedric's polite question made Hermione a bit more nervous.

"Oh, no. Of course not," Hermione stammered. '_Why in the world would he want to sit with me when there's all these tables._' Hermione looked around the library and saw that only she and two other people, Cedric and Madam Pince, were the only ones in the library.

"I hope you're not bothered by my presence," Cedric added as he saw her looking around.

"No bother," Hermione said simply. Cedric gave a snort of laughter at her high squeaky voice and her short answer as she smiled weakly and flushed at her cheeks.

"I just don't like sitting off by myself in here. She's kind of like a vulture waiting to prey," Cedric whispered as he nodded toward Madam Pince who was looking at some books that were tattered and torn. Hermione suppressed a giggle and smiled at him as he sighed and pulled his books toward him and began to read.

"What's that you're working on?" Hermione looked at the rather enormous book in front of Cedric as she pondered out loud.

"This?" Cedric held up the book to show her the cover. "It's just something that I need to work on for my Advanced Potions class."

"Is it hard?" Hermione was trying desperately to break the awkward silence between them, she was having trouble working because of it. The silence just pushed and pulled at her nerves.

"Not really, but I'm not the greatest at it. I bet you'd do all right in it," Cedric replied, making her blush a little more than she already was.

"I don't know about that," Hermione sighed as she looked down at her work in front of her.

"So what about you...? What are you working on?" Cedric's curt manner was sweet, but Hermione was just a bit afraid to tell him what she was working on. '_What would he think if I told him?_'

"Um-... well, I'm working on something for my- well, other's purposes."

"What other's purposes?" Cedric smiled at her timid way, she really was a kind person.

"I'm working on starting a rally for house-elf rights," Hermione answered with a downcast look.

"That's very ambitious of you," Cedric remarked.

"I just don't think the way they are treated is fair. You should have seen the way things went off at the World Cup with that poor house-elf, Winky, being accused of conjuring the Dark Mark. There was no way it could have been her! I mean Mr. Crouch was in hysterics to begin with and the way he dismissed her like that when she was only doing what was right. And then Amos Diggory and his accus-," Hermione stopped as she realized that she was about to bad mouth Cedric's father right in front of him. There was an awkward silence in which Cedric looked downward as though in shame and Hermione bowed her head in embarrassment.

"Don't be sorry. A lot of people don't like my father," Cedric sighed finally. '_Oh, Hermione, you idiot_' she mentally scolded herself.

"I didn't mean to–"

"No, honestly it's fine. My father does get carried away with work and bragging about things – mostly me."

"Your father's just proud of you. Don't be sorry about that," Hermione reprimanded gently with a weak, lop-sided smile.

"Pride is a bit of an understatement, don't you think," Cedric said in an almost amused sigh. "You were there at Stoatshead Hill when my father started bragging about my beating Harry last year. It was purely accident that Harry fell off his broom or else I bet he would have beat me instead."

"It's fine... Harry was probably happy to have one of his faults pointed out like that since everyone thinks he's such a big hero."

"But he is a big hero," Cedric said pointedly.

"Oh, yes... there's no doubt about that. You save an entire wizarding world, of course you'll be a hero, but he gets fed up with the limelight of it all," Hermione sighed.

"I don't blame him," Cedric added. "I hate being the center of my family's world... that's bad enough. I couldn't even begin to fathom what he must go through with that burden of horrid fame at such a costly price."

"It hurts almost as bad to be his friend and know that you can't really do anything to help him, though," Hermione said shyly.

"If you're implying that you don't do anything to help him, then you're sadly mistaken," Cedric reassured her. "What about in first year when you helped Harry get to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named? And what about in your second year-"

"I was petrified while lying in the infirmary," Hermione interrupted.

"Well, I'm sure you gave him something useful to go on even then," Cedric said.

"I did help him figure out a few things... yes," Hermione admitted with pink cheeks.

"See! And just being his friend is enough of a help for anyone," Cedric commented.

"I suppose so," Hermione relented. Cedric was smiling at her as she sat there blushing, and she was about to ask him if he'd like to help her with her house-elf movement, but someone interrupted her.

"Cedric Diggory," said a playful female voice. "There you are." Hermione and Cedric looked up to see Cho Chang walking into the library with a smile on her face as she neared Cedric.

"Hello, Cho," Cedric greeted as he stood up and took her hand in his.

"Come down to dinner, won't you?" Cho was looking up at him with pleading eyes, while Hermione suddenly felt alone.

"All right," Cedric laughed as he gave into her sad puppy face. "Just let me get my books and we'll go." Hermione frowned as Cedric gathered his books and his bag before turning to her with a smile in place. "It was nice talking to you, Hermione."

"Yeah," Hermione sighed. "Nice talking to you too." Cedric nodded and left as Hermione felt her heart become heavy. "You should know better than to think he's cute and stuff. He's got a girlfriend and he won't leave Cho Chang for you," Hermione thought aloud in a hushed voice as she went back to her books. She found after twenty minutes though, that she couldn't concentrate. Giving up for the night, Hermione gathered her things and went to her dormitory before the rush of dinner let out.

* * *

The next couple of days went off without a hitch, and the class that Hermione had really been waiting for came. Hermione got to the class just in time and sat down in her desk, pulling out her copy of _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_ as Moody entered the class. 

"You can put those away," he growled as he made his way to the front of the class.

"Put our books away? What's going on here? We need books for learning," Hermione mumbled to herself as she reluctantly did as she was told. It was normal for Hermione to not use a book in learning so she certainly wasn't used to this.

"Right then," Moody said after he took roll. "I've had a letter from Professor Lupin about this class. Seems you've had a pretty thorough grounding in tackling Dark creatures – you've covered boggarts, Red Caps, hinkypunks, grindylows, Kappas, and werewolves, is that right? But you're behind – very behind – on dealing with curses. So I'm here to bring you up to scratch on what wizards can do to each other. I've got one year to teach you how to deal with Dark-"

"What, aren't you staying?" Ron's voice rang out in the classroom above Moody's as his eye went around the room in frantic search of who had spoken up. Moody smiled when he saw Ron, and then he continued to speak again.

"You'll be Arthur Weasley's son, eh? Your father got me out of a very tight corner a few days ago... Yeah, I'm staying just the one year. Special favor to Dumbledore... One year, and then back to my quiet retirement." There was a moment's pause as everyone looked around from Moody to the person sitting next to him or her and back again before Moody continued to speak. "So – straight into it. Curses. They come in many strengths and forms. Now, according to the Ministry of Magic, I'm supposed to teach you countercurses and leave it at that. I'm not supposed to show you what illegal Dark curses look like until you're in the sixth year. You're not supposed to be old enough to deal with it till then. But Professor Dumbledore's got a higher opinion of you nerves, he reckons you can cope, and I say, the sooner you know what you're up against, the better."

"Finally someone besides Lupin with some sense about this," Hermione sighed as she thought about her teachers from the previous three years.

"How are you supposed to defend yourself against something you've never seen? A wizard who's about to put an illegal curse on you isn't going to tell you what he's about to do. He's not going to go it nice and polite to your face. You need to be prepared. You need to be alert and watchful. You need to put that away, Miss Brown, when I'm talking."

"What?" Hermione was totally perplexed as she looked over to where Lavender Brown, one of her Gryffindor dormitory mates, was sitting. Hermione watched Lavender jump and blush before quickly tucking something she was showing Parvati under the desk back into her pocket.

"So... do any of you know which curses are most heavily punished by wizarding law?"

"Oh, I know this," Hermione breathed as her hand shot into the air, shockingly followed by Ron's. Moody pointed to him and Ron became slightly nervous as he answered, he had never been chosen over Hermione to answer a question.

"Er," Ron began, "my dad told me about one... Is it called the Imperius Curse, or something?"

"Ah, yes. Your father _would_ know that one. Gave the Ministry a lot of trouble at one time, the Imperius Curse." Hermione and the others watched as Moody got up, pulled out a jar with three spiders in it, and emptied the spiders onto the desk. Hermione sat up a little higher in her chair to see what Moody was about to do. "_Imperio!_" Hermione watched the spider do tricks like it was in a traveling bug circus, flipping and cartwheeling all about the desk. Hermione couldn't help herself as she began to giggle along with everyone else, but she stopped when Moody spoke again. "Think it's funny, do you? You'd like it, would you, if I did it to you?"

"Oh, dear," Hermione breathed in a hushed way as she sunk back into her chair and realized that what Moody was doing was supposed to be a bad curse, not something to laugh at.

"Total control," Moody said. "I could make it jump out of the window, drown itself, throw itself down one of your throats..." Hermione grimaced and closed her mouth tight as she downcast her chin. "Years back, there were a lot of witches and wizards being controlled by the Imperius Curse. Some job for the Ministry, trying to sort out who was being forced to act, and who was acting of their own free will. The Imperius Curse can be fought, and I'll be teaching you how, but it takes real strength of character, and not everyone's got it. Better avoid being hit with it if you can. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" Hermione jumped and clutched her hand over her heart as it began to beat madly in her chest, her ears ringing with his last words.

"My lord," Hermione sighed as she calmed down.

"Anyone else know one? Another illegal curse," Moody asked. '_Oh, I do, I do!_' Hermione shot her hand into the air once more, and much to her shock, this time she was beat out by Neville Longbottom who Moody picked to answer. "Yes?"

"There's one – the Cruciatus Curse," Neville answered in his usual shy voice.

"Your name's Longbottom?" Hermione looked over at Neville who looked timid and sort of depressed as he nodded his head to Moody in response as Moody picked up another spider. "The Cruciatus Curse needs to be a bit bigger for you to get the idea. _Engorgio!_" Hermione watched the spider grow to be as big as Moody's hand if not bigger as it sat waiting in fear on the desk, apparently afraid it might suffer the same fate of its friend. Then without warning, Moody cast the curse upon the spider. "_Crucio_!" Hermione watched the spider ball itself up and begin to rock back and forth on its back, but something caught her attention from out of the corner of her eye. It was Neville and he was staring on in fear, his fingers threatening to become a permanent attachment to the table.

"Stop it!" Hermione's shrill voice rang in the class as everyone sat watching Moody in silent awe. Moody did as she requested and relented on the curse, shrinking the spider back to normal size and placing it back into the jar with the other.

"Pain. You don't need thumbscrews or knives to torture someone if you can perform the Cruciatus Curse... That one was very popular too," Moody informed. "Right... anyone know any others?" Hermione knew the answer to this one as well, but she was sort of afraid to answer as she looked around and saw everyone staring at the last spider on the desk with growing pity. "Yes?" Hermione was surprised to find that she had in fact raised her hand and that Moody called on her this time.

"_Avada Kedavra_," Hermione said in a timid tone. She shrunk back in her seat as the others in the class turned and looked at her with apprehensive and fearful looks on their faces as Moody spoke again.

"Ah, yes, the last and worst. _Avada Kedavra_... the Killing Curse." Hermione stomach dropped as she watched with fright as Moody pointed his wand at the last spider which was fervently trying to escape across the desk. " _Avada Kedavra!_" Hermione shivered as green light bolted out of Moody's wand and hit the spider, rendering it motionless after it rolled over onto its back. "Not nice. Not pleasant. And there's no countercurse. There's no blocking it. Only one known person has ever survived it, and he's sitting right in front of me."

"Huh?" Hermione turned just as both of Moody's eyes settled on Harry and everyone in the class stared at him in awe. Hermione watched Harry sit there in awe, his eyes wide and blank and his expression unreadable. '_What's he thinking?_'

"_Avada Kedavra_'s a curse that needs a powerful bit of magic behind it – you could all get your wands out now and point them at me and say the words, and I doubt I'd get so much as a nosebleed."

"Hmm?" Hermione stared around the room and began counting the students. '_I think that you might get a nosebleed... and a concussion too! But then again..._'

"Now, if there's no countercurse, why am I showing you? _Because you've got to know._ You've got to appreciate what the worst is."

"Appreciate the worst?" Hermione was getting totally confused. "I think you should avoid the worst, not appre-," she had begun to whisper to herself, but Moody scared her.

"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" Hermione and everyone in the class jumped yet again at his outburst. "Now... those three curses – _Avada Kedavra_, Imperius, and Cruciatus – are known as the Unforgivable Curses. The use of any one of them on a fellow human being is enough to earn a life sentence in Azkaban. That's what you're up against. That's what I've got to teach you to fight. You need preparing. You need arming. But most of all, you need to practice-"

"Oh, no... here it comes," Hermione said as she closed one eye tight and prepared to hear Moody yell 'CONSTANT VIGILANCE!', but instead his voice was normal yet still with emphasis.

"_Constant, never-ending vigilance._ Get out your quills... copy this down..." Hermione sat there the rest of the class in a bit of a depressed daze, taking notes in silence just like the rest of the class. When Moody dismissed them, the students began buzzing quietly about the curses, but Hermione noticed someone not buzzing. Neville Longbottom was up ahead and he was standing alone and looking quite upset as though he would go into a fit any minute.

"Hurry up," Hermione urged Ron and Harry.

"Not the ruddy library again?" Ron sounded irritated, but he obviously hadn't seen why Hermione wanted to leave.

"No. Neville." Hermione and the boys approached him quickly, but carefully and Hermione began to speak in a soft voice. "Neville?"

"Oh hello," he said as he looked around as though noticing where he was for the first time. Hermione felt a twinge in her gut from his squeaky voice as he continued. "Interesting lesson, wasn't it? I wonder what's for dinner, I'm – I'm starving, aren't you?"

"Neville, are you all right?" Hermione felt apprehensive as she wondered what was going to happen next because she felt he would snap at any minute.

"Oh yes, I'm fine. Very interesting dinner – I meant lesson – what's for eating?"

"Neville, what-?" They didn't have time to finish their question though as Moody came up and began talking.

"It's all right, sonny. Why don't you come up to my office? Come on... we can have a cup of tea..." Neville didn't move though and Hermione had the feeling that tea with Professor Moody wasn't going to motivate him any time soon either, let alone make him feel better. "You all right, are you, Potter?"

"Yes."

"You've got to know. It seems harsh, maybe, _but you've got to know._ No point pretending... well... come on, Longbottom, I've got some books that might interest you." Hermione wanted badly to help Neville as he looked at the Golden Trio for help, but his fellow Gryffindors kept quiet and watched Moody guide him away from them.

"What was that about?"

"I don't know," Hermione answered Ron as she felt a loss of appetite while sinking into a thoughtful state.

"Some lesson, though, eh? Fred and George were right, weren't they? He really knows his stuff, Moody, doesn't he? When he did _Avada Kedavra_, the way that spider just _died_, just snuffed it right-" Hermione wondered why Ron had suddenly stopped as she looked over at him, expecting his face to be purple from choking or something, but instead he was staring at Harry who was looking slightly saddened. '_Ron, you idiot! Harry's parents_' Hermione thought as she realized what was wrong. They kept quiet for the rest of the walk to the Great Hall, but even then, Hermione didn't talk because she was scarfing down her dinner so she could rush off to the library.


	8. SPEW

Chapter 8 – S.P.E.W.

Hermione entered the library and felt that she would be getting ready to work in peace, but she was so wrong. As soon as she sat down, a voice from behind her spoke in her ear.

"Hello, Hermione," greeted Cedric Diggory. Hermione jumped suddenly and spun around to face him, almost falling from a lack of balance as she moved so quickly.

"H-hello, Cedric," Hermione stuttered as she tried to catch her breath and slow her heart.

"What are you up to?" Cedric peered over Hermione's shoulder at the box of blank badges that sat on the table, and Hermione began to get a bit more nervous.

"It's uh-... just part of my house-elf relief project," Hermione mumbled.

"Ah, still working on it, huh?"

"Yeah," Hermione sighed in a little more than a whisper as she felt herself being bashful.

"Mind if I help? I really don't want to work on this Transfigurations work," Cedric sighed as he nodded his head to the table next to Hermione's where his book, bag, and roll of parchment laid.

"Oh, no-... I um-... I don't mind," Hermione replied as she began flustered. '_Oh, my, he wants to help!_'

"I'm very much into equal rights for all, myself," Cedric informed as they sat down and Hermione dumped out the badges onto the table, much to the displeasure of Madam Pince who shushed the two as they suppressed snickers.

"Are you really now?" Hermione gave him a jokingly skeptical look and narrowed her eyes on him with a smile as he grinned and picked up one of the blank badges. That's when Hermione realized something. '_Oh Merlin! I'm flirting with him! He's got a girlfriend and I'm flirting with him!_' She felt the heat rise in her face as Cedric looked at the three books she had, _Transfigure Your Campaign_ (which told her how to make the badges), _House-Elves and Their Master: A Guide to the Perfect Servant_, and _A House-Elf's Life_.

"So, what exactly are we doing here?"

"Well," Hermione began. "We're going to put the abbreviation for my house-elf rights group's name."

"And what would that be?" Cedric really seemed to want to help, but then again thought Hermione, he could just want to be nice to her and seem like he wanted to help while he was desperately searching for a way out of what he got himself into.

"It's the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare," Hermione answered proudly.

"S.-... P.-... E.-... W.-...," Cedric murmured to himself as he thought of the letters and then started to laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"You do know that those letters spell spew, right? I mean with a name like that, I can't guarantee you an easy job in getting people to join," Cedric laughed. Hermione suddenly felt hurt, she had worked hard on this, only to have a boy she thought was cute and sweet laugh in her face about it. She frowned and Cedric suddenly became aware of what he had done. "Look, I didn't mean it that way."

"It's fine," Hermione mumbled. "It's a stupid idea anyways. I mean who's going to listen to a little bookworm fourth year like me anyways?"

"I am. I think that you are going to make a big difference with this – maybe not right away of course – but someday. I have faith in you because you are smart and people usually listen to those who are smarter than them, hoping they'll lead them in the right direction. For example, look at Dumbledore, he-"

"I'll never be as great as Dumbledore," Hermione interrupted. Cedric frowned and turned to the badges as a few minutes' silence set in.

"Well, you'll never know if we don't get these started and distributed among those who want to help just like you," Cedric reassured her. She gave a brief, faint half-hearted smile and stared down at her hands in her lap. "C'mon now," Cedric coxed as he grabbed her hand with his own and squeezed it. '_My he is strong_' Hermione thought suddenly as she smiled inwardly at his holding her hand.

"All right then," Hermione sighed as she happily relented and picked up the Transfigurations book while flipping to a random page. "First thing we need to do is magically burn the letters into the badge.

"Simple enough," Cedric said as he pulled out his wand and pointed it at the badge, but he stopped abruptly there. "Okay, maybe not simple enough. What's the spell for this?" Hermione giggled and pointed to the italicized words in the book. "Ah, okay," Cedric said as he read over the words and then muttered the spell. The tip of his wand lit up yellow and the badge became hot, making him drop it.

"Shh," Madam Pince hissed as the badge hit the table with a clatter.

"Sorry," Hermione whispered as Cedric sucked on the ball of his thumb. Hermione suppressed a giggle and then grabbed his wrist while pulling his thumb from his mouth. She swished her wand while whispering a spell and then flicked it at his thumb which felt as though ice had been pressed to it with instant relief.

"Thanks," Cedric whispered as he examined Hermione's handy work. "You're really clever. Wherever did you learn that?"

"Reading," Hermione answered carelessly as she picked up the badge that Cedric had dropped earlier. "Look." On the white badge, there were gleaming gold letters that said: S.P.E.W. in a beautiful calligraphy writing.

"All right," Cedric said as he took the badge from her and pinned it to his own robes right below his prefect button. "I'll take a couple when we're done and promotion this, okay?"

"Thanks," Hermione said as she admired the badge on Cedric's Quidditch muscular chest. She smiled broadly, she just couldn't help herself.

"Well, let's get these finished up, shall we?" Cedric pulled about ten of the badges toward him and pointed his wand at them while, this time, leaving them on the table.

* * *

Hermione entered Gryffindor common room with a smile and a satisfied feeling. 

"Hello," she greeted Harry and Ron who were at one of the corner tables working on their Divinations homework. "I've just finished!"

"So have I!" Hermione looked over at Ron's work as she sat down and placed her box in an empty chair beside her.

"Not going to have a very good month, are you?" Hermione continued to go over Ron's predictions as Crookshanks came walking across the common room and leaped up into her lap with a loud purr.

"Ah well, at least I'm forewarned," Ron said as he stifled a rather large yawn.

"You seem to be drowning twice," Hermione pointed out as she handed his work back to him.

"Oh am I? I'd better change one of them to getting trampled by a rampaging hippogriff."

"Don't you think it's a bit obvious you've made these up?"

"How dare you! We've been working like house-elves here!" Hermione was none too happy with that comment as she gave him a look that said she was about to get very angry with him. "It's just an expression," Ron covered up quickly.

"What's in the box?" Hermione turned to her other best friend and picked up the box whiling giving Ron a disapproving stare as she opened it.

"Funny you should ask," she said as Harry inspected the different color badges in the box.

"'Spew'?" Hermione rolled her eyes at Harry's ignorance of the periods after each letter and began to correct him.

"Now _spew_. It's S-P-E-W. Stands for the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare."

"Never heard of it," Ron said lazily as he looked at the badges with disgust.

"Well, of course you haven't. I've only just started it."

"Yeah? How many members have you got?" Hermione thought seriously about telling Ron about Cedric, but decided it best not to since he had a quick temper with those sorts of things.

"Well – if you two join – three," Hermione replied timidly, but then she felt that she should show courage and they might be frightened into joining. '_Am I really that desperate for members that I'm threatening my own friends!_'

"And do you think we want to talk around wearing badges saying 'spew', do you?" Hermione got very angry at this remark, if Cedric would wear one, why couldn't Ron? He was after all supposed to be her best friend, was he not as this, supposed to make these kind of sacrifices for her?

"S-P-E-W! I was going to put Stop the Outrageous Abuse of Out Fellow Magical Creatures and Campaign for a Change in Their Legal Status – but it wouldn't fir. So that's the heading of out manifesto." Hermione pulled a piece of parchment from the box and shoved it at the two boys rather roughly as she continued. "I've been researching it thoroughly in the library. Elf enslavement goes back centuries. I can't believe no one's done anything about it before now."

"Hermione – open your ears," Ron snapped. "They. Like. It. They _like_ being enslaved!"

"Our short-term aims are to secure house-elves fair wages and working conditions. Our long-term aims include changing the law about non-wand use, and trying to get an elf into the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, because they're shockingly underrepresented," Hermione continued as she only spoke louder than Ron making it seem as though she were trying to ignore him.

"And how do we do all this?" Hermione was glad to hear Harry ask.

"We start by recruiting members. I thought two Sickles to join – that buys a badge – and the proceeds can fund out leaflet campaign." That's when something hit Hermione, she didn't charge Cedric. '_Oh well, he helped me so it's the least I can do is let him join for free_.' "You're treasurer, Ron – I've got a collecting tin upstairs – and Harry, you're secretary, so you might want to write down everything I'm saying now, as record of our first meeting." Hermione beamed an a happy way as she looked at the pair of them, Ron looking a bit disbelieving at her suggestions and Harry looking just plain confused. Suddenly they were interrupted by Hedwig who tapped at the window.

"Hedwig!" Hermione watched as Harry leaped in one movement from his chair to the window to let the bird inside as she sat on the windowsill. "About time!"

"She's got an answer," Ron exclaimed as Harry untied the letter from his owl's leg.

"What does it say?" Hermione was just as excited as Ron as she jumped up to read next to Harry on a couch, forgetting about S.P.E.W., at least for the moment as Harry began to read aloud.

"Harry – I'm flying north immediately. This news about your scar if the latest in a series of strange rumors that have reached me here. If it hurts again, go straight to Dumbledore – they're saying he's got Mad-Eye out of retirement, which means he's reading the signs, even if no one else is. I'll be in touch soon. My best to Ron and Hermione. Keep your eyes open, Harry. Sirius," Harry concluded.

"He's flying north? He's coming _back_?" Hermione really cared about Sirius, ever since she had helped Harry save him last year, he had become like an uncle to her.

"Dumbledore's reading what signs? Harry – what's up?" Hermione wanted to know this as well as she watched in confused shock as Harry pounded his forehead with his fist.

"I shouldn't've told him!"

"What are you on about?" For once, Ron was asking all the right questions.

"It made him think he's got to come back! Coming back, because he thinks I'm in trouble! And there's nothing wrong with me!" '_How could Harry say this? His scar hurting isn't a minor thing, I mean in our first year it let us know Voldemort was near_' Hermione thought as Harry continued to yell, now shouting at Hedwig who was obviously waiting to be fed.

"Harry," Hermione began as she tried to calm him down while the three of them watched Hedwig take off out the window with an angered hoot at her master.

"I'm going to bed," Harry cut off. "See you in the morning." Hermione watched Harry get up and stalk briskly up the staircase to his room while she was left to sit there in disappointment with Ron.

"I really wish I could help more," she sighed.

"You could if you weren't working on stupid things like those house-elf badges," Ron argued.

"You know something? You are amazing," she said hotly as she jumped up from her chair and towered over him heatedly. "Harry's in need of our help and all you can do it ridicule me for trying to make a difference in the lives of those who are in need as well."

"But-"

"Unlike you, I care to help those in need instead of being self-centered all the time," Hermione snarled before turning on her heel and gathering her box of badges. "Good night, Ronald!" With that, she stomped off to her own dormitory and slammed the door behind her before dropping the box on the trunk at the end of her bed. She changed into her pajamas, all the while mentally cursing Ron, and climbed into bed seething.

* * *

"Hey, Hermione," Ron called as Hermione came walking across the partially deserted common room. "Have you seen Harry?" 

"No I haven't, Ronald," Hermione answered flatly as she dropped down into an armchair next to the fire and grabbed a book to begin silently reading, or more like ignoring Ron.

"Come on now! You still can't be mad at me?"

"Yes... yes I can," Hermione said blankly. "You're being a total git anymore."

"Listen," Ron sighed as he walked over and sat down on the couch next to Hermione's chair. "I'm sorry. I'll try to be more-" Hermione raised her eyebrows as though saying 'this had better be good' while she waited for him to continue. "I'll try to be more-... understanding to your want to help house-elves."

"I suppose I could forgive you," Hermione exhaled deeply. "But that doesn't mean that I'll let you off completely easy," she added at the relieved look on his face.

"How about we start with breakfast? I'm starved and I wouldn't want those house-elves to have worked to make all that food for nothing," Ron said with a smile. "I'll be sure to thank them if I see them." Hermione rolled her eyes playfully as she put down her book and left the common room with Ron to go to breakfast.

"Hey look, there's Harry," Hermione said as she pointed to the messy black hair at Gryffindor table. It was indeed their best friend and when they sat down with him, he informed them of something he had done that morning.

"Where've you been?" Ron began loading his plate with sausages and eggs, hash browns and pancakes.

"I wrote Sirius a letter and sent it to him this morning. I told him that he didn't need to worry about my scar and that he should stay where he is. I told him I imagined my scar hurting because I was half asleep and that I would be fine," Harry said briskly as he put marmalade on his toast.

"That was a _lie_, Harry," Hermione broke in. "You _didn't_ imagine your scar hurting and you know it."

"So what? He's not going back to Azkaban because of me," Harry retorted. Hermione opened her mouth, but surprisingly, she was silenced by Ron.

"Drop it," he ordered. '_I suppose he's right, I should drop it_' Hermione thought to herself. '_Arguing won't change what he's done and it won't help him either._'

"Well," Hermione sighed as she laid down her fork and knife after swallowing her last bite of sausage. "I'm off then."

"And where are you going? Not to work on that ruddy spe-" Hermione threw Ron a threatening glare that shut him up immediately as he bowed his head and picked at his food timidly.

"You can't be going to the library again," Harry said with disbelief.

"No, I'm not going to the library. I'm going to work on recruiting members for S.P.E.W.," Hermione answered promptly as she stood up to leave Gryffindor table. She was on her way up to Gryffindor Tower to get the badges when she rounded the corner and bumped into someone.

"Oh, hello, Hermione," Cedric Diggory said as he grabbed her by the arm to keep her from falling backwards from the force of running into him.

"Hello, Cedric," Hermione greeted as she went crimson from having ran into him like that. '_Nice one, Hermione_' she thought sarcastically as she bowed her head.

"How's S.P.-... um-"

"E.W.?"

"Yeah. How's S.P.E.W. coming along?"

"Well, I've managed to get another two members – Ron and Harry – they're going to be the treasurer and secretary," Hermione informed shyly.

"I see. What about me? What can I be? Vice-President?"

"Oh, you can be that if you'd like," Hermione said hurriedly with a pleased smile as she nodded fervently.

"All right, then. I'll be sure to see if I can get some other members for you, but in the mean time, good luck." With that, Cedric side stepped her and continued on his way down the hall as Hermione watched him walk away. '_He's so adorable and kind... Cho's so luck, I wish he was my boyfriend_' Hermione thought dreamily before realized just what she was thinking.

"Wait – what! I cannot like him. He's a sixth year Hufflepuff prefect and I'm a fourth year Gryffindor bookworm. He's a big no-no, Hermione," she told herself. "Besides, he'll never leave Miss Ravenclaw Seeker Beauty Queen Cho Chang for you anyways." It was then that Hermione realized that she had a bit of a disliking for Cho.


	9. Chapter New Visitors & the Judges' Panel

Chapter 9 – New Visitors & the Judges' Panel

"All right you lot," Moody growled as he came clunking into the classroom behind everyone as the bell rang. "Put those books away and stand up."

"What are we learning today?" Hermione was just as eager as Seamus to know this.

"I'm going to be teaching you how to resist the Imperius Curse," Moody replied, there was an excited murmur rushing around the room as everyone recalled the spider that had performed acrobats across his desk while under the curse. "By putting the curse on you," he added, causing instant silence until Hermione spoke up.

"But – but you said it's illegal, Professor. You said – to use it against another human was-," she stuttered as Moody shooed them to the sides of the classroom and vanished the desks with a swish of his wand.

"Dumbledore wants you taught what it feels like," Moody growled as he turned on her. '_Yikes!_' Her eyes grew wide as his magical eye stared at her in an unblinking way while she shivered and panicked. "If you'd rather learn the hard way – when someone's putting it on you so they can control you completely – fine by me. You're excused. Off you go."

"I'd rather not leave – I want to learn," Hermione muttered while blushing as Moody pointed at the door leading out of the classroom. '_I'd rather fall into the lake and get hypothermia than miss a lesson like this._' Hermione watched one after the other as her friends went up as Moody called them.

"Thomas," Moody growled causing Dean to step forward, his Gryffindor courage showing through greatly. "_Imperio!_" Dean began hoping around the room while singing the national anthem. Some students were stifling laughter, but Hermione didn't find this funny because this wasn't a spider, this was one of her house mates.

"Blimey," Dean mumbled as he walked back to the group of Gryffindors while rubbing his thighs which were cramping from hopping around the room three times.

"Brown!" Lavender squealed with fright as his growling call made her jump forward with a start. '_Poor Lavender_' Hermione thought as she watched Moody put the curse on her.

"_Imperio!_" Lavender squeaked and began twitching her nose as she acted like a squirrel, cleaning her imaginary bushy tail. '_Even as a squirrel, she's more worried about looking good then anything else_' Hermione thought with mild amusement, but then she remembered that what Moody was showing them was punishable by law and not to be laughed at.

"Longbottom!" Neville went horribly pale as he realized that Moody was calling him forward while Lavender walked back to th group with pink cheeks as everyone whispered and looked at her. It had to be one of her more embarrassing moments Hermione thought as she watched Neville step forward awkwardly.

"Oh, dear," Hermione muttered as she watched Neville tense up and close his eyes tight, ready to receive the curse.

"_Imperio!_" In an instant, Neville began doing back flips and somersaults that he wouldn't even dream of doing had he not been under the curse. This is when Hermione realized just how powerful this curse was. Moody lifted the curse and Neville stumbled back to the group as Moody called upon his next unsuspecting student. "Potter, you next."

"Good luck, Harry," Ron whispered as Harry moved forward to stand before Moody.

"_Imperio!_" Hermione watched as Harry bent into a half crouched position. '_What's he doing?_' The next second, Hermione gasped in fright as Harry acted like he was going to jump, but stopped mid leap and crashed to the floor, landing with a hard thud on his knees. Hermione wanted to rush forward as Harry grimaced, but Moody began to speak. "Now, _that's_ more like it! Look at that you lot... Potter fought! He fought it, and he damn near beat it! We'll try again, Potter, and the rest of you, pay attention – watch his eyes, that's where you see it – very good, Potter, very good indeed! They'll have trouble controlling _you_!"

"Oh, goodness," Hermione muttered under her hands which were clasped over her mouth as Harry was put under the curse again, this time Moody tried to make him act like a monkey. You could see the look in his emerald eyes, the look of defying doubt and strength. Hermione admired him greatly for his bravery and fight, she was more than proud to be one of his best friends.

* * *

Later on that week, the students of both fourth and fifth year were stock piled with homework, but this didn't stop Hermione from working on S.P.E.W. She still managed to find time to recruit people, but Neville was the only one that she got to join because she had bargained with him, if he joined, she would help with his Transfigurations. 

"What's all this about?" Hermione, Harry, and Ron were leaving Hagrid's class to go to lunch when they were stopped from entering the Great Hall by a large group of students who were gathered around a sign at the bottom of the marble stairs.

"Wait, I'll see," Ron told her as he stretched up on tip-toe to see over the crowd and read the sign. "Triwizard Tournament. The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be-" Ron stopped as he maneuvered to be able to see the sign better.

"Will be what?"

"Just a minute, Hermione," Ron hissed impatiently as he moved forward a bit and went back to standing on tip-toe. "Will be arriving at six o'clock on Friday the thirtieth of October."

"Is that all?" Hermione saw the smiling expression on his face as he shook his head and stretched to read the rest while Hermione herself tried to see what he was smiling about.

"Lessons will end half an hour early-"

"Brilliant! It's Potions last thing on Friday! Snape won't have time to poison us all," Harry exclaimed excitedly as he smiled broadly.

"Wait, there's more," Ron quieted as he continued to read. "Students will return their bags and books to their dormitories and assemble in front of the castle to greet our guests before the Welcoming Feast."

"This is exciting," Hermione breathed as Ernie Macmillan walked toward them.

"Only a week away," he exclaimed. "I wonder if Cedric knows? Think I'll go and tell him..."

"Cedric?" Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron's obvious expression and she was about to tell him who Cedric was, but Harry beat her to it.

"Diggory. He must be entering the tournament." What Ron said next, didn't please Hermione all that much, but she kept her emotion hid quite well.

"That idiot, Hogwarts champion?"

"He's not an idiot. You just don't like him because he beat Gryffindor at Quidditch," Hermione snipped. "I've heard he's a really good student – _and_ he's a prefect," she added as he looked at her with angered suspicion.

"You only like him because he's _handsome_," Ron barked.

"Excuse me, I don't like people just because they're handsome!" Hermione glared at Ron as he began coughing and said 'Lockhart' as he did. Hermione huffed crossly and stalked off through the crowd toward the Great Hall, Ron and Harry following at a safe distance as Ron grumbled about her temper. '_So what if he's handsome, he's sweet and kind, that's why I like him!_' Then Hermione stopped suddenly as she prepared to sit down at Gryffindor table. '_I like him?_'

* * *

The end of October came all too quickly, but this prospect excited Hermione because she wondered if she might get some new recruits for S.P.E.W. coming in from the new schools. On the morning of the thirtieth, Hermione sat at breakfast with Ron, Harry, Fred, and George, listening to them talk about how you entered the tournament and who the judges would be. 

"You two got any ideas on the Triwizard Tournament yet? Thought anymore about entering?"

"I asked McGonagall how the champions are chosen," George answered Harry, "but she wasn't telling."

"Wonder why," Hermione murmured only loud enough for herself to hear as Ron began speaking.

"Wonder what the tasks are going to be? You know, I bet we could do them, Harry. We've done dangerous stuff before..." Hermione was about to say something when Fred interrupted.

"Not in front of a panel of judges, you haven't. McGonagall says the champions get awarded points according to how well they've done the tasks."

"Who are the judges?"

"Well, the Heads of the participating schools are always on the panel," Hermione answered Harry, speaking up in the conversation for the first time. She continued to state what she knew as though reading from a book, "Because all three of them were injured during the Tournament in 1792, when a cockatrice the champions were supposed to be catching went on the rampage." She noticed their confusion on how she knew this and rolled her eyes as she went on. "It's all in _Hogwarts, A History_. Though, of course, that book's not _entirely_ reliable. _A _Revised _History of Hogwarts_ would be more accurate title. Or _A Highly Biased and _Selective _History of Hogwarts, Which Glosses Over the Nastier Aspects of the School._" The twins, Harry, and Ron became slightly frightened by her outburst.

"What are you on about?" Hermione wasn't entirely sure why she had raged like that at that moment in time, but she knew the answer to Ron's question why she _had_ said it.

"_House-elves!_ Not once, in over a thousand pages, does _Hogwarts, A History _mention that we are all colluding in the oppression of a hundred slaves!" She paused for a moment and looked around at the four boys who were seemingly shocked and a bit detached from what she was telling, but she was going to get through to them. "You do realize that your sheets are changed, your fires lit, your classrooms cleaned, and your food cooked by a group of magical creatures who are unpaid and enslaved?"

"Listen, have you ever been down to the kitchens, Hermione?" George was the one to break the silence of the four boys to Hermione's furious preaching, but it wasn't going to be easy to prove his point, Hermione made this clear as she replied.

"No, of course not. I hardly think students are supposed to-"

"Well, we have," George interrupted. By this, Hermione knew that he could only mean his brother and himself. "Loads of times, to nick food. And we've met them, and they're _happy_. They think they've got the best job in the world-"

"That's because they're uneducated and brainwashed!" Hermione stopped after this though as the morning post came in and she became interested in the fact that Hedwig had just delivered a letter to Harry. "What's it say?"

"Nice try, Harry. I'm back in the country and well hidden, I want you to keep me posted on everything that's going on at Hogwarts," Harry read quietly from the letter. "Don't use Hedwig, keep changing owls, and don't worry about me, just watch out for yourself. Don't forget what I said about your scar. Sirius." Harry looked up at them and Hermione tried to hide the fact that she was happy that Sirius saw through Harry's lie.

"Why d'you have to keep changing owls?" Sometimes, Ron could be so dumb and it annoyed Hermione because he didn't bother to think before he opened his mouth, but she answered nonetheless.

"Hedwig'll attract too much attention. She stands out. A snowy owl that keeps returning to wherever he's hiding... I mean, they're not native birds, are they?" Harry or Ron didn't answer her really, just shrugged their shoulders or nodded as they continued to eat their breakfast, tension mounting around them for later that night.

* * *

"Weasley, straighten your hat," Professor McGonagall scolded as she and the other professors began directing the students into nice, neat lines that evening so that they could greet their coming guests. Hermione was breathless as she thought about all the things she wanted to ask the new students. '_I wonder if their schools are just like they describe in _An Appraisal of Magical Education in Europe?' 

"Nearly six," Ron informed, snapping Hermione from her thoughts. "How d'you reckon they're coming? The train?"

"I doubt it," Hermione replied. '_I wonder how they are getting here though?_'

"How then? Broomsticks?" Hermione and Harry looked up to the night sky, but then Hermione realized how unlikely Harry's idea was.

"I don't think so... not from that far away..."

"A Portkey? Or they could Apparate – maybe you're allowed to do it under seventeen where they come from?"

"You can't Apparate inside Hogwarts grounds," Hermione hissed at Ron. "How often do I have to tell you?" Hermione and the boys fell silent as they waited, Hermione was beginning to feel very cold. '_I've heard of being fashionably late, but this is ridiculous. I'm freezing here!_' Then Dumbledore's voice called out over the crowd of students and broke into her mental complaining as he pointed out the Beauxbatons carriage coming over the forest. Students began yelling out guesses of what the carriage was, but it wasn't clear until it had landed. Even then, mass confusion still reigned as its occupants began climbing out. Dumbledore began a round of clapping as they did before stepping forward to speak to the oddly large woman that had stepped out.

"My dear Madame Maxime. Welcome to Hogwarts."

"Dumbly-dorr," Madame Maxime boomed in a voice that put Hermione in mind of the slightly feminine form of Hagrid's voice. "I 'ope I fine you well?"

"Goodness," Hermione grumbled. She hated that accent for some reason or other, it just annoyed her really because she felt it fake when they spoke English. Hermione pushed this annoying fact aside though as Madame Maxime's huge form moved out of the way and her students began filing out. Hermione was inspecting the handsome boys that were standing in the shadow of their Headmistress.

"'As Karkaroff arrived yet?" There was that accent again, but Hermione simply rolled her eyes and sighed, she would just have to get used to it and tough it out.

"He should be here any moment," Dumbledore replied. "Would you like to wait here and greet him or would you prefer to step inside and warm up a trifle?"

"Warm up, I think. But ze 'orses-"

"Our Care of Magical Creatures teacher will be delighted to take care of them," Dumbledore assured her.

"More than delighted," Hermione said to herself in barely more than a whisper as she looked at the magnificently large palomino horses that shook their golden heads and blinked their red eyes impatiently. Hermione turned her attention back to Dumbledore and Maxime as they continued to speak, Hermione finding it hard to think with Maxime's booming voice.

"My steeds require – er – forceful 'andling. Zey are very strong..."

"I assure you that Hagrid will be well up to the job," Dumbledore beamed. '_Let's hope so_' Hermione thought. '_If Hagrid can't handle those things, no one can._'

"Very well. Will you please inform zis 'Agrid zat ze 'orses drink only single-malt whiskey?"

"Oh, you've got to be kidding," Hermione scoffed to herself as Dumbledore answered her and nodded as she directed her students to follow her into the school. Hermione had been patiently looking about the skies for sign of the Durmstrang arrival when she heard Harry, Seamus, and Ron talking.

"How big d'you you reckon Durmstrang's horses will be?" Seamus inched closer, squeezing behind Lavender and Parvati so that he could hear what Harry had to say.

"Well, if they're any bigger than this lot, even Hagrid won't be able to handle them. That's if he hasn't been attacked by his skrewts. Wonder what's up with them?"

"Maybe they've escaped," Ron suggested excitedly, all the fourth years were hating taking care of the rapid growing beasts. Hermione shivered as she thought about skrewts blasting themselves across the Hogwarts lawns, the forest going up in flames as terrified students ran for shelter. She shivered and tried to forget when she had just thought of.

"Oh don't say that. Imagine that lot loose on the grounds...," Hermione said fearfully. The four of them fell silent and began searching the skies like many of the other students, but then Ron spoke up.

"Can you hear something?" Lee Jordan confirmed Ron's suspicious hearings as he pointed and exclaimed.

"The lake! Look at the lake!"

"It's a mast," Harry said as a tall, black-looking pole rose from the center of the lake, followed by the rest of the boat. Hermione watched the Head, Karkaroff she remembered Madame Maxime calling him, and his students get off the boat at the edge of the lake and walk toward the Hogwarts students. She tilted her head and stared in wonder at their uniforms which were thick, heavy fur cloaks.

"Dumbledore," called the Head of Durmstrang as he and his students approached. "How are you, my dear fellow, how are you?"

"Blooming, thank you, Professor Karkaroff."

"Dear old Hogwarts," Karkaroff sighed as he looked up at the castle and shook Dumbledore's hand. Hermione saw immediately that Karkaroff was a fake, there was something in his eyes that made her not trust him, something in his voice and expression, the way he looked. "How good it is to be here, how good... Viktor, come along, into the warmth-" Hermione let Karkaroff's voice trail away from her here though as she repeated the name to herself.

"Viktor? Why is that familiar?" She looked up and scanned the group of students, but it wasn't until Ron pointed it out, that she realized why she remembered the name.

"Harry – _it's Krum_! I don't believe it! Krum, Harry! _Viktor Krum!_"

"For heaven's sakes, Ron, he's only a Quidditch player," Hermione hissed. She had to admit that she herself was excited because she remembered the stony faced boy with his rather busy black eyebrows smiling at her in the Top Box of the World Cup, but Ron was acting like a five year old.

"_Only a Quidditch player?_ Hermione – he's one of the best Seekers in the world! I had no idea he was still at school!" Hermione soon found that Ron wasn't that bad though as they passed a group of squealing and shrieking sixth year girls who were frantically searching for something to give Krum so he could sign such things as their hats, scarves, and even arms.

"_Really!_" Hermione rolled her eyes and then shook her head as she watched them make fools of themselves while fighting for a tube of lipstick to give Krum to sign things with. Hermione went into the Great Hall and took her seat at Gryffindor table with Ron still babbling about getting Krum's autograph while she looked around to see where their guests were sitting. "It's not _that_ cold," Hermione hissed as she saw the Beauxbatons students at the Ravenclaw table with their scarves. "Why didn't they bring cloaks?" No one seemed to want to answer her though as they watched to see where the Durmstrang students sat, Ron still chattering madly about Krum and now Malfoy as Krum and his fellow students sat at Slytherin table.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, ghosts and – most particularly – guests," Dumbledore began as he stood up at the staff table where two chairs had been add to either side of him. "I have great pleasure in welcoming you all to Hogwarts. I hope and trust that your stay here will be both comfortable and enjoyable." At this a girl from Beauxbatons laughed and Hermione glared at her.

"No one's making you stay!" Hermione would have liked very much to get up and throw a cup of pumpkin juice on the girl and her scarf, but Dumbledore began speaking again.

"The tournament will be officially opened at the end of the feast. I now invite you to eat, drink, and make yourselves at home!" The dishes and goblets filled with delectable foods, some native and some from the guests' home lands.

"What's _that_?" Ron pointed to a rather large bowl of some sort of seafood stew.

"Bouillabaisse," Hermione replied as she helped herself to some of the stuff Ron had pointed at.

"Bless you," Ron said as he thought she sneezed.

"It's _French_. I had it on holiday summer before last. It's very nice," Hermione informed.

"I'll take your word for it," Ron said as he went to the steak-and-kidney pudding beside the dish of shellfish stew. Hermione shook her head and went about eating until she saw Hagrid enter and listen to Harry and him talk until someone spoke from behind her and Ron.

"Excuse me, are you wanting ze bouillabaisse?"

"Yeah, have it," Harry replied as he got the dish for the girl while Ron gaped and tried to talk, but only ended up looking like a fish out of water as he mouthed wordlessly.

"Honestly," Hermione seethed to herself as she looked in the opposite direction. Hermione only turned back to them once she was gone and Ron began talking again.

"She's a _veela_!"

"Of course she isn't! I don't see anyone else gaping at her like an idiot," Hermione snapped.

"I'm telling you, that's not a normal girl! They don't make them like that at Hogwarts," Ron rambled to Harry as he wiggled in his seat to see the girl that had returned to her seat at the Ravenclaw table.

"Pig," Hermione grumbled as she turned away from Ron and Harry who were still staring at the Ravenclaw table. This is when Hermione noticed that Ludo Bagman and Mr. Crouch had just entered the Hall and were now taking their seats at the staff table in the extra chairs that had been placed by Dumbledore's. "When you've both put your eyes back in your head, you'll be able to see who's just arrived," Hermione said bitterly as she turned back to Harry and Ron who reluctantly turned their attention to her.

"What are _they_ doing here?"

They organized the Triwizard Tournament, didn't they? I suppose they wanted to be here to see it start," Hermione answered Harry. The rest of dinner went quite smoothly as everyone chit-chatted about the new foods and students until Dumbledore stood up and began to speak after clearing the dishes.

"The moment has come. The Triwizard Tournament is about to start. I would like to say a few words of explanation before we bring in the casket just to clarify the procedure that we will be following this year. But first, let me introduce, for those who do not know them, Mr. Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation-"

"Mr.-I-Make-My-Elves-Do-Horrid-Things-So-They-Get-Scared-And-Do-What-Comes-Natural-And-Then-Fire-Them," Hermione grouched as she refused to applaud the man like the rest of the students politely did.

"And Mr. Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports," Dumbledore continued. "Mr. Bagman and Mr. Crouch have worked tirelessly over the last few months on the arrangements for the Triwizard Tournament and they will be joining myself, Professor Karkaroff, and Madame Maxime on the panel that will judge the champions' efforts."


	10. The Tournament Begins

Chapter 10 – The Tournament Begins

Dumbledore continued his speech as everyone gave him their undivided attention after the announcement of the panel who would be judging the competition. Their interest was even further sparked when Dumbledore called for the casket to be brought in.

"The casket, then, if you please, Mr. Filch." Filch came walking in with a wooden chest that put Hermione very much in mind of one she had read about in a Muggle fairy tale called _Peter Pan_. It was encrusted with jewels of all colors and Hermione felt excitement grow contagious among the many anticipating students. "The instructions for the tasks the champions will face this year have already been examined by Mr. Crouch and Mr. Bagman," Dumbledore continued, "and they have made the necessary arrangements for each challenge."

"Sit down, Dennis," Hermione hissed as the little boy stood up on his seat to see the casket that was now sitting on the table in front of Dumbledore.

"There will be three tasks, spaced throughout the school year, and they will test the champions in many different ways... their magical prowess – their daring – their powers of deductions – and, of course, their ability to cope with danger."

"Danger?" Hermione's shocked breath seemed to stop as she repeated this word silently to herself.

"As you know, three champions compete in the tournament, one from each participating schools. They will be marked on how well they preform each of the Tournament tasks and the champion with the highest total after the three tasks will win the Triwizard Cup," Dumbledore explained. "The champions will be chosen by an impartial selector: the Goblet of Fire."

"The what?" Hermione hadn't read about this when she read about the Triwizard Tournament. She watched with growing anxiety as Dumbledore tapped the casket with his wand three times which caused the lid to open slowly with a loud, ominous creak. Hermione bit down on her bottom lip as Dumbledore reached into the casket and pulled out a considerably large goblet that was made of wood just like the casket, but the goblet wasn't covered in jewels. It was in fact unmarked and to Hermione's surprise, it had a blue and white flame dancing from the opening of the goblet.

"Anybody wishing to submit themselves as champion must write their name and school clearly upon a slip of parchment and drop it into the goblet. Aspiring champions have twenty-four hours in which to put their names forward. Tomorrow night, Halloween, the goblet will return the names of the three it has judged most worthy to represent their schools. The goblet will be placed in the entrance hall tonight, where it will be freely accessible to all those wishing to compete," Dumbledore informed. "To ensure that no underage students yields to temptation, I will be drawing an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire once it has been placed in the entrance hall."

"Let's see you get past that, Fred and George," Hermione giggled as she watched the twins exchange looks out of the corner of their eyes. She became apprehensive though as she saw an identical smirk dance onto both of their faces as they turned back to Dumbledore. "Now what are they up to?" Hermione turned her attention back to Dumbledore as well as she realized he was still speaking.

"Finally, I wish to impress upon any of you wishing to compete that this tournament is not to be entered lightly. Once the champion has been selected by the Goblet of Fire, he or she is obliged to see the tournament through to the end. The placing of your name in the goblet constitutes a binding, magical contract. There can be no changing of heart once you have become champion. Please be very sure, therefore, that you are wholeheartedly prepared to play before you drop your name into the goblet. Now, I think it is time for bed. Good night to you all," he finished.

"An Age Line! Well, that should be fooled by an Aging Potion, shouldn't it? And once our name's in the goblet, you're laughing – it can't tell whether you're seventeen or not," Fred Weasley exclaimed, explaining to Hermione why he and George had smiled at each other in such a mischievous way.

"But I don't think anyone under seventeen will stand a chance. We just haven't learned enough...," Hermione interrupted.

"Speak for yourself," George shot arrogantly. "You'll try and get in, won't you, Harry?"

"Did they not just listen to Dumbledore? How dense are they? They're going to get killed," Hermione mumbled to herself as she shook her head and crossed her arms. She was about to reprimand them aloud, but Karkaroff caught her attention as he came rushing over to his students.

"Back to the ship, then. Viktor, how are you feeling? Did you eat enough? Should I send for some mulled wine from the kitchens?" '_Mulled wine? C'mon now_' Hermione thought as she shook her head slightly and watched Karkaroff turn on one of his students who had said something about wanting some wine himself. Karkaroff then began leading his students back to their ship when he came storming past them, Harry stopping and letting him pass. "Thank you," Karkaroff said as though he didn't really mean it. Hermione watched Karkaroff's reaction, he was almost fearful as he and his students stared at Harry in awe.

"Yeah, that's Harry Potter," Moody growled as he came limping toward them. Karkaroff spun around and Hermione watched fear grow ever more obvious on his paling face.

"You!" Hermione was surprised by this reaction from Karkaroff. It was almost like he knew Moody from somewhere, but couldn't believe that Moody was there, at that moment in time.

"Me. And unless you've got anything to say to Potter, Karkaroff, you might want to move. You're blocking the doorway," Moody said. Hermione didn't know what had happened in these two's past, but it had to be something bad because they looked at each other with extreme dislike and then Karkaroff left with his students. Hermione watched Moody, his face unchanging as everyone left, his magical eye spinning madly in his head until it landed on her.

"Oh!" She jumped as she was caught staring at him, but Moody's lip twitched as though he was trying to smile, but this wasn't a normal, 'how do you do, have a nice day' smile, there was something hidden in it. She shivered and lowered her gaze as she followed Harry, Ron, and the twins from the Great Hall as they continued to talk about the Age Line and an Aging Potion.

"I think I'm going to go to bed," Hermione muttered to the four boys as they entered the Gryffindor common room.

"Are you okay, Hermione?"

"Fine, Harry, I'm just tired," she replied with a weak smile.

"She's wearing herself out with that ridiculous _spew_ stuff," Ron said simply. Hermione rolled her eyes and shook her head while heading for the girls' staircase. Once Hermione was in her dorm, she laid down on her bed, thinking about how Moody and Karkaroff had glared at each other, Karkaroff seemingly fearing Moody.

"Who wouldn't, though?" Hermione sighed heavily while she got up off the bed and went to put on a T-shirt and shorts and crawl back into bed.

* * *

Hermione had tossed and turned all night, and on the one day that she could sleep in, she woke up early instead. 

"Might as well get dressed and go try to get some recruits," Hermione groaned as she rolled out of bed and stretched, falling back down onto her bed as she did. She could tell today was going to be one like any other, same as always, or would it? She pulled out a pair of blue jeans and a light-weight white sweater. She pulled on her shoes as she sat in the bathroom, her tooth brush hanging out of the corner of her mouth. She finished brushing her teeth and ran a brush through her hair, pulling it back into a high ponytail on her head. She smiled and ran her tongue over her teeth in a last check in the mirror and then went to the common room.

"Hey, Hermione," Harry and Ron greeted in unison as they sat over a chess board, Ron winning as usual.

"Morning," Hermione greeted back as Harry began to say 'Knight to E-6', but she interrupted him. "I wouldn't do that. Try Queen's side castle to B-4." Harry did as she said and his castle began chasing Ron's Queen, much to Ron's displeasure.

"If you aren't playing, don't give out orders," Ron huffed as he stared at her in anger while his Queen ran about the board, the castle closing in on her as she ran into Harry's Knight which picked her up and tossed her to the top of the castle. The castle carried her to the side of the board and tossed her onto the table with the broken pieces where she sat sulking. Hermione flashed Ron an arrogant smirk before plopping down into a chair and watching the rest of the game.

"Looks like I win," Harry exhaled as he leaned back in his chair and watched his Knight and King dance around the board with a pawn.

"You wouldn't have won if Hermione hadn't been giving you hints, though," Ron grouched as he crossed his arms and glared at Hermione while his Queen cried over the fallen body of Ron's King.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Hermione said in mock innocence as she rose from her chair and stretched. "Shall we go to breakfast?"

"Yeah, I'm starved," Harry said as he stood up as well. Ron didn't say anything, but he followed nonetheless. He soon forgot about being mad though as they came around the corner and began descending the marble staircase, the goblet coming into sight. Ron stopped an excited little third-year girl and asked her if anyone had entered yet.

"All the Durmstrang lot, but I haven't seen anyone from Hogwarts," she replied.

"Bet some of them put it in last night after we'd all gone to bed," Harry suggested. "I would've if it had been me... wouldn't have wanted everyone watching. What if the goblet just gobbed you right back out again?" Hermione was about to say that she was sure someone would put their name in today when the twins and their best friend, Lee Jordan, laughed from behind the Golden Trio.

"Done it! Just taken it," one of the twins exclaimed, Hermione could actually tell them apart now, because both of them had large grins on their faces and she recognized the one speaking as Fred.

"What?"

"The Aging Potion, dung brains," Fred chortled to Ron.

"One drop each. We only need to be a few months older," George explained happily.

"We're going to split the thousand Galleons between the three of us if one of us wins," Lee further explained.

"I'm not sure this is going to work, you know. I'm sure Dumbledore will have thought of this," Hermione said pointedly as she thought how stupid it was the things money would make people do. '_They don't know what they're getting into, but they don't care because there's prize money_.'

"Ready? C'mon, then – I'll go first-" Hermione watched as Fred Weasley pulled the name of his school along with his name on a piece of parchment out of his pocket and went up to the line. Hermione waited on baited breath as Fred paused to a moment and then stepped over the line, nothing happening. '_I don't believe it_' she thought as George leaped after his twin. Hermione gasped though as the twins were hurled from the circle in the next second, both landing on their butts about ten feet away.

"Oh dear," Hermione said as a loud pop issued and she bit down on her lip, trying hard not to laugh as she noticed that Fred and George now had matching white beards. She lost control though as they themselves began laughing at the sight, pointing at each other and doubling over in laughter.

"I did warn you," chuckled Dumbledore from behind the amused crowd of students. "I suggest you go up to Madam Pomfrey. She is already tending to Miss Fawcett, of Ravenclaw, and Mr. Summers, of Hufflepuff, bot of whom decided to age themselves up a little too. Though I must say, neither of their beards is anything as fine as yours." Hermione lost all control on this as she realized that the twin's beards were also identical to Dumbledore's. The twins did as they were told, Lee in tow, as everyone went back about their business, the Golden Trio entering the Great Hall for breakfast. Hermione was sitting there listening to Seamus, Dean, Harry, and Ron talk about Hogwarts students who had entered, when something reached her ears.

"Listen!" Next minute, their fellow Gryffindor and house Quidditch team Chaser, Angelina Johnson came into the hall. She was grinning as she called out that she had just put her name in the goblet, astonishment registering on all the Gryffindor's faces.

"You're kidding," Ron exclaimed.

"Are you seventeen, then?" Harry smiled at her as she stopped next to them and beamed.

"'Course she is, can't see a beard, can you?"

"I had my birthday last week," Angelina replied cheerfully.

"Well, I'm glad someone from Gryffindor's entering. I really hope you get it, Angelina," Hermione encouraged.

"Thanks, Hermione."

"Yeah, better you than Pretty-Boy Diggory," Seamus said with dislike to Cedric. Hermione thought about this and for some reason, she felt bad for Cedric. Everyone judged him and didn't take a chance to get to know him for the kind person he really was.

"What're we going to do today, then?" Ron's question snapped Hermione from her sad thoughts as she looked to Harry who was now speaking.

"We haven't been down to visit Hagrid yet."

"Okay, just as long as he doesn't ask us to donate a finger to the skrewts," Ron joked. That's when something his Hermione, she had forgot all about Hagrid.

"I just realized – I haven't asked Hagrid to join S.P.E.W. yet! Wait for me, will you, while I nip upstairs and get the badges?" Hermione didn't give them time to answer though as she jumped up from the table and ran off for the common room. She almost ran into the girl from Beauxbatons that Ron had said was part veela, but she didn't care as she moved stealthily past her and up the marble staircase. She continued running through the halls and to the entrance of the common room.

"Password?"

"Hi-hippo-"

"Slow down, child," the Fat Lady commanded as Hermione bent over with her hands on her knees and panted.

"Hippo-"

"Hello, Hermione," Cedric Diggory called from behind her as he came up the corridor.

"Hello, Cedric," Hermione sighed as she turned around and smiled at him breathlessly.

"Little out of breath?" He smiled, but this smile was an apparent attempt to keep from laughing.

"I was running," Hermione spoke softly as she held her breath a bit, trying to gain control of it.

"That's good. I like a girl that's athletic."

"Really?" Hermione forced a smile, but she was frowning on the inside. '_You're far from athletic_' she told herself in the back of her mind.

"But then again, brains are even better," Cedric remarked. "I like it better when I can have an intelligent and interesting conversation with a girl." Hermione's smile grew considerably as she blushed and then she came back to reality as an awkward silence set in.

"Um-," her voice stumbled. "I uh- I head that you put your name in the goblet."

"Yeah, I did," Cedric answered. "I figured it would be a nice opportunity to meet new people, prove myself or really test myself, make my father proud, and most importantly, bring home the win for Hogwarts."

"I think you will," Hermione assured him.

"Thanks," Cedric sighed. Another silence went over them, Hermione rocking on the balls of her feet as Cedric looked around them. "So, what were you going to do?"

"Well, I was going to go down with Harry and Ron to visit Hag- oh no! They're still waiting on me," Hermione groaned as she realized that she was wasting time talking to him. '_Wasting time? I'd waste the whole day on him really, but Ron and Harry will be furious with me_' Hermione thought as she looked down at her feet.

"I'll let you go, then," Cedric said politely as he nodded.

"Thanks," Hermione said as she turned to the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Hippogriff."

"What?" Cedric had only just turned to walk away when Hermione said this, and shock dawned on her face as she turned slowly around. "Hippogriff?"

"Please pretend you didn't hear that," Hermione pleaded as the portrait swung open and Cedric saw the entrance to the Gryffindor common room.

"Your secret's safe with me," Cedric laughed as Hermione let out a sigh of relief before waving and dashing into the common room, the portrait swinging shut behind her. Cedric shook his head and sighed himself before turning and leaving while Hermione searched frantically in her room for the box of badges.

"Where are they?" Hermione had pulled everything out from under her bed, searched her wardrobe, and ever her trunk, but there was no sign of the badges. "Maybe in the common room," she thought aloud as she kicked everything back under her bed and ran down to the common room.

"Hello, Hermione," greeted Neville Longbottom as he, too, came into the common room.

"Hello, Neville," Hermione said distractedly.

"What are you looking for?" Hermione was scouring the common room for the box of badges.

"My-," Hermione began as she flipped over the cushions on the couch.

"Badges?" Neville shook the box and the badges rattled. Hermione stood up and turned around to look at him with a slightly thankful yet surprised expression.

"Where did you find them?" Neville smiled bashfully and handed her the box.

"On the mantle," he said as he jerked his thumb over his shoulder at the mantle above the fireplace.

"Thanks, Neville," Hermione said as she turned and dashed from the common room, running clear to the entrance hall where she saw Harry and Ron waiting, both staring at the students from Beauxbatons as they walked across the lawn toward their quarters.

"Oh good, hurry up," Ron told her as he practically leaped out the front door and across the lawn to see where the Beauxbatons students were staying. They saw that the carriage they had arrived in was in fact the place where they were staying and that it was only a short way away from Hagrid's. When they got to Hagrid's and he answered the door, he invited greeted them while Ron and Harry goggled at him, Hermione having yet to notice as she opened the box of badges to show him.

"'Bout time! Thought you lot'd forgotten where I live," he boomed as Fang barked behind him and tried to get through to jump on the trio out of excitement at seeing them.

"We've been really busy, Hag-," Hermione had begun, but she finally looked up from the box and saw Hagrid who was in a horridly brown and furry suit with his hair slicked back. She suddenly felt bad though as she realized all three of them were staring at him in awe and that he was looking rather flustered. "Erm – where are the skrewts?"

"Out by the pumpkin patch," Hagrid answered merrily. "They're gettin' massive, mus' be nearly three foot long now. On'y trouble is, they've started killin' each other."

"Oh no, really?" Hermione looked to Ron and Harry for support, but she glared at Ron who was still staring strangely at Hagrid, his mouth open, making her realize he might say something stupid.

"Yeah," Hagrid replied mournfully. "'S' okay, though, I've got 'em in separate boxes, now. Still got abou' twenty."

"Well, that's lucky," Ron said sarcastically, but Hagrid didn't notice it. Their conversation turned slowly from the skrewts to the Triwizard Tournament, and ended with the trio trying to get out of Hagrid what the first task was.

"Go on, Hagrid!"

"I don' want ter spoil it fer yeh. But it's gonna be spectacular, I'll tell yeh that. Them champions're going ter have their work cut out. Never thought I'd live ter see the Triwizard Tournament played again!" Their conversation continued over lunch and finally, much to Hermione's pleasure, it turned to her asking Hagrid to join S.P.E.W.

"Please, Hagrid!"

"It'd be doin' 'em an unkindness, Hermione. It's in their nature ter look after humans, that's what they like, see? Yeh'd be makin' 'em unhappy ter take away their work, an' insultin' 'em if yeh tried ter pay 'em."

"But Harry set Dobby free, and he was over the moon about it! _And _we heard he's asking for wages now!"

"Yeah, well, yeh get weirdos in every breed. I'm not sayin' there isn't the odd elf who'd take freedom, but yeh'll never persuade most of 'em ter do it – no, nothing' doin', Hermione," he said finally as she offered him a badge one more time. Hermione finally gave up though as Hagrid shook his head and she reluctantly put the badges away while Harry and Ron snickered.

"We'd better be going," Harry pointed out as he looked outside and saw that it was getting dark which meant dinner and the announcement of the champions was drawing nearer. Hagrid had intended to accompany them up to the castle, but instead left them for Madame Maxime. They just shook their heads and went up for dinner without another word about it. Dinner went smoothly, many of the same dishes from the night before on the tables once more, and excited buzz about the champions thick in the air. Once dinner was over, Dumbledore stood up to make his announcement.

"Well, the goblet is almost ready to make its decision. I estimate that it requires one more minute. Now, when the champions' names are called, I would ask them please to come up to the top of the Hall, walk along the staff table, and go through into the next chamber where they will be receiving their first instructions," Dumbledore called out to the anticipatively silent students and staff.

"Any second," Hermione heard Lee Jordan whisper three seats down from her. Hermione held her breath as the flames of the goblet went from blue to red and sparks issued as a piece of parchment was sent forward into Dumbledore's hands.

"The champion for Durmstrang will be Viktor Krum," Dumbledore announced.

"No surprises there," Ron yelled as everyone, especially Karkaroff applauded him while he rose from Slytherin table, walked along the staff table, and into the adjacent room. Once again, the goblet turn red and spit out sparks and a piece of parchment, Dumbledore catching it again.

"The champion for Beauxbatons is Fluer Delacour!"

"It's her, Ron!" Hermione huffed as Harry shook Ron who gaped for a moment and then gave a thunderous applause as she did just as Viktor had after rising from the Ravenclaw table.

"Oh look, they're all disappointed," Hermione said as she nodded to where Fluer had risen from, the other Beauxbatons students glowering. Once again, the goblet changed from blue to red and spit out a piece of parchment, Dumbledore doing just as he had two times before and catching it.

"The Hogwarts champion is Cedric Diggory!" There was a roar of applause from the Hufflepuff table as Cedric rose. Hermione beamed and clapped as Ron voiced his protest beside her.

"No!" But Hermione didn't mind, he would make a fine champion for Hogwarts, he would help them win.

"Excellent! Well, we now have our three champions. I an sure I can count upon all of you, including the remaining students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, to give your champions every ounce of support you can muster," Dumbledore called after Cedric disappeared into the next room and everyone calmed once again. "By cheering you champion on, you will contribute in a very real-" He stopped abruptly though as the goblet changed again.

"What's going on?" Hermione leaned forward in her seat as she whispered this and watched the goblet spit forth another piece of parchment which Dumbledore caught and read from after staring at it for a moment.

"_Harry Potter_." Hermione sat there shocked as Harry as he turned to them.

"I didn't put my name in," he said to them as though pleading for help. "You know I didn't."

"Harry Potter! Harry! Up here, if you please," Dumbledore called again.

"Go on," Hermione urged as she pushed gently on his back. He got up looking fearful, Hermione feeling the same way, but feeling confident that Dumbledore would straighten things out... hopefully.


	11. Bad Times

Chapter 11 - Bad Times

Hermione watched Harry walk almost mechanically up to the staff table, stopping for a second as Dumbledore said something to him, and then Harry finally turning and disappearing into the room. She sat there with Ron in awe until they were dismissed to go back to their dorms for bed.

"I can't believe it," Ron said in a daze.

"Neither can I," Hermione agreed as they made their way to the Gryffindor Tower.

"I mean, he held out on me."

"What! You can't be serious," Hermione gasped with surprise. "Are you even thinking about what you're saying?"

"Think about it, Hermione. He even said that if he was going to enter, he would have done it last night while no one was watching," Ron said pointedly.

"Yes, Ron, but that doesn't mean that he did," Hermione said in the same tone as Ron.

"Why doesn't it? His name was in there... his name got pulled out... he's in that room now as we _speak_!"

"Ronald! Calm down. Harry wouldn't do that to us. He was just as surprised as we were to find that out. Besides, not even Fred and George got past that Age Line, how could Harry have done it?"

"He used the Invisibility cloak," Ron accused as though he had just had an epiphany and hadn't even heard Hermione's reasoning.

"Oh, honestly! The Invisibility cloak only makes you unseen to others, not older."

"He took some of the twin's Aging Potion... enough to make him at least four years older and the Goblet didn't know," Ron continued to think aloud.

"Listen to me," Hermione ordered as she stopped dead in the corridor. "Listen to yourself, in fact! You're accusing our best friend of lying to us – Harry wouldn't do that!"

"How do you know? He's always one for _fame_," Ron said in a pointed way as he too stopped and turned toward Hermione.

"This is ridiculous. I can't believe I'm even having this argument with you! Do you really think that Harry would want this kind of fame? He's fed up with what he gets for the tragic scenario of surviving when his parents didn't!"

"Yeah, but he loves all that fame he gets for defeating He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named again and again," Ron hissed.

"In case, _Ronald_, you haven't noticed, we've been with Harry most every _bloody_ time that he's beat _Voldemort_!" Ron flinched and then glared at Hermione as though she had called him a freckle-faced retard.

"Well, _Miss Know-It-All_, why don't you tell me, then, how Harry's name got in that Goblet?"

"I know as much as _you_ on the matter, _Mr. Accusation_!" Hermione folded her arms heatedly over her chest and huffed angrily as Ron stood there shaking with fury.

"They aren't accusations – they're the truth. Think about it, Hermione – who would have put his name in there?"

"Apparently someone that's got it out for Harry-"

"Malfoy couldn't get across that line," Ron snapped before she could finish.

"I wasn't talking about Malfoy! Why must you always insinuate that it's him? Yes, he's a git, and yes, he's annoying, and yes, I _hate_ him just as much as you do, but that doesn't make him old enough to cross that Age Line."

"He had someone else do it for him, then."

"Oh!" Hermione was fed up now, she couldn't stand this as she began screaming at him. "Grow up! Quit blaming other people to make it easy for yourself-"

"Are you saying that I did it!" Ron sounded outraged as well, but this totally shocked him.

"No, I'm not, if you would let me finish, you would know that I was about to say that I think it was someone older, someone like-"

"Snape!"

"Goodness, Ronald, _shut up_ and _listen_! I don't know who, but I have a feeling that it wasn't Snape because – as we already know – he's saved Harry, or at least tried, once before in our first year, why would Snape put his name in that Goblet when he knows full well that those tasks for the Tournament could very well harm Harry?" Ron just couldn't stand the fact that Hermione was right about this, so he resorted to the only thing that he could.

"FINE! Whatever! I'm sick of you and your arguing, and I'm sick of Harry and his fame!"

"Oh yeah, that's real mature," Hermione yelled after him as he turned and stalked off down the hall. She couldn't stand it any longer, she needed some fresh air. She walked off in the other direction and took a different staircase toward the Astronomy Tower, all the while, a nagging question pulling at her mind as she walked along. Who did put Harry's name in that Goblet?

* * *

The next morning, Hermione sat silently at breakfast, not talking to Ron as she sat five seats down the table with Ginny while Ron sat alone, brooding. 

"So, what's up between you and my brother?"

"He's being a-"

"Prat? Git? Jerk? Pig-headed Red-cap!"

"Okay, okay, Ginny. It's just him and this whole thing with Harry."

"Oh yeah, I do feel sorry for Harry, t-"

"No, it's not that he feels sorry for Harry – he's angry with him," Hermione corrected.

"Really? How stupid," Ginny sighed as she looked down the table to her sour faced brother. "You'll have to ignore him, then. He's just had it rough with being the youngest brother."

"Well, you're the youngest child," Hermione pointed out.

"Yes, but I'm a girl, I've never had to compete with Fred, George, Percy, Bill, or Charlie... I was always babied and stuff." Ginny and Hermione paused for a moment to look down the table at Ron. "Annoying the way I'm treated really," Ginny added in an afterthought.

"Let's just hope Harry and Ron make-up before much longer – Harry's going to need Ron's support for this tournament," Hermione sighed as she pushed her plate away. They were then joined by Neville who sat down next to Ginny with pink ears.

"H-Hello Hermione – Ginny," Neville greeted bashfully. Hermione and Ginny exchanged quick giggling glances and then Hermione began to speak to cover up the awkward moment.

"Have you seen Harry, Neville?"

"He's still up in the dorm. I heard him and Ron had a bit of a row last night after Harry's party in Gryffindor common room," Neville answered.

"I don't suspect he'll come down to breakfast, then," Hermione said thoughtfully as she stole yet another glance at Ron. "I think I'll take him some breakfast," she added as she grabbed a napkin and unfolded it. She began placing toast inside as Ginny and Neville sat silently watching her while they picked over their own breakfasts. "I'll see you guys later today," Hermione said as she got up and left. As she passed Ron, she swore that she heard him give a distinct 'hmph' of disapproval which only made her shake her head and continue on her way without a word to him. She walked silently to the common room, all the while wondering what to say to Harry. She was about to give the Fat Lady the password when her portrait came swinging open. "Hello. I brought you this..." She held out the napkin of toast to Harry as he took it with a weak smile. "Want to go for a walk?"

"Good idea," he sighed as he took the toast and they began their walk. They walked in quick silence all the way down to the lake where they munched on their toast as Harry explained about what happened after he left the table last night and went into that room with the other champions. "I swear I didn't enter myself, though, Hermione."

"Well, of course I knew you hadn't entered yourself. The look on your face when Dumbledore read out your name! But the question is, who _did_ put it in? Because Moody's right, Harry... I don't think any students could have done it... they'd never be able to fool the Goblet, or get over Dumbledore's-"

"Have you seen Ron?" Hermione was afraid of this question. She was fearful about telling Harry that Ron was showing no remorse and about what she and Ron had fought about the night before. Harry raised his eyebrows at her in a pressing way as though to tell her to continue, so with a sigh, she spoke.

"Erm... yes... he was at breakfast."

"Does he still think I entered myself?" Hermione didn't exactly know if his opinion from the night before had changed, but she doubted it had.

"Well... no, I don't think so... not _really_." She stumbled over her words like they were tree roots and rocks on a dark forest path she had never been on before.

"What's that supposed to mean, 'not _really_'?" Hermione bit her bottom lip for a second as she secretly panicked, or as secretly as possible. '_Please don't get angry, I believe you. I just don't want in the middle of you and Ron's fight!_' She finally decided that she had to tell him just exactly what was wrong, she could only hope that he would understand without getting mad at her or even worse, more mad at Ron.

"Oh Harry, isn't it obvious? He's jealous!" Hermione saw the shocked anger break out across his face as he opened his mouth to speak, she knew that what he was about to say wasn't going to be any good.

"_Jealous?_" Harry was a little more furious than she had expected him to be and it scared her a bit. "Jealous of what? He wants to make a prat of himself in front of the whole school, does he?"

"Look," Hermione pleaded in an attempt to calm him down. "It's always you who gets all the attention, you know it is. I know it's not your fault. I know you don't ask for it... but – well – you know Ron's got all those brothers to compete against at home, and you're his best friend, and you're really famous – he's always shunted to one side whenever people see you, and he puts up with it, and he never mentions it, but I suppose it's just one time too many..."

"Great, really great," Harry snapped. "Tell him from me I'll swap him any time he wants. Tell him from me he's welcome to it... People gawking at my forehead everywhere I go..." This was exactly where Hermione didn't want to be, in the middle as the message sender.

"I'm not telling him anything. Tell him yourself. It's the only way to sort this out."

"I'm not running around after him trying to make him grow up! Maybe he'll believe I'm not enjoying myself once I've got my neck broken or-"

"That's not funny. That's not funny at all," Hermione said a little more than a whisper. "Harry, I've been thinking. You know what we've got to do, don't you? Straight away, the moment we get back to the castle?"

"Yeah, give Ron a good kick up the-"

"_Write to Sirius_. You've got to tell him what's happened. He asked you to keep him posted on everything that's going on at Hogwarts... It's almost as if he expected something like this to happen. I brought some parchment and a quill out with me-"

"Come off it," Harry hissed as he looked around the deserted grounds. "He came back to the country because my scar twinged. He'll probably come bursting right into the castle if I tell him someone's entered my in the Triwizard Tournament-" Why was he being so stubborn, he knew she knew better, she always did, didn't she?

"_He's want you to tell him_. He's going to find out anyway-"

"How?" Harry's voice was almost like he was suspecting her, or at least daring her to say that she would tell and that scared her a bit more.

"Harry, this isn't going to be kept quiet. This tournament's famous, and you're famous. I'll be really surprised if there isn't anything in the _Daily Prophet_ about you competing... You're already in half the books about You-Know-Who, you know... and Sirius would rather hear it from you, I know he would."

"Okay, okay, I'll write to him," Harry relented which made Hermione smile triumphantly as she felt relief settle in. She soaked up her triumph over him in the silence that followed as they made their way back up to the castle. Harry, maybe out of annoyance at her smiling way, spoke up. "Who's owl am I going to use? He told me not to use Hedwig again."

"Ask Ron if you can borrow-"

"I'm not asking Ron for anything," Harry stated in a stubborn manner. Hermione rolled her eyes, she could tell that this was going to be a real war between them and she was going to hate it the whole way through, if she even made it through.

"Well, borrow one of the school's owls, then, anyone can use them." They finally stopped inside the Owlery and Hermione gave Harry her parchment and quill and watched him write his letter, all the while walking among the many owls on perches.

"Finished!" Hermione watched Harry tie his letter to an owl's leg while Hedwig looked completely cross and unforgiving. Hermione left as Harry began yelling at Hedwig about being so angry with him, she had to leave out of fear at laughing at her friend and his crazy, snowy white bird.

* * *

Hermione was seriously starting to feel more and more sorry for Harry after that, though. Everyone was treating him as though he was some disgusting form of a giant boil walking through the halls. People were being so unsympathetic to Harry's situation and they weren't thinking at all, Harry couldn't have entered himself. Hermione was getting totally angry with everyone, and even more so at Ron because he wasn't helping Harry at all by still being mad at him. 

"You two have to talk at some point," Hermione argued in a whispering way one night in the library.

"I refuse to talk to him... If I don't talk to him, he can't keep secrets from me," Ron hissed.

"You're being really childish right now," Hermione scolded in a murmur.

"Yeah well, if I'm being childish then he's being a hogging git who's just as childish, if not more," Ron snapped.

"You _are_ impossible, Ronald Weasley," Hermione said in a voice that very much resembled his mother's before standing up, stuffing her books angrily into her bag, and leaving him gawking in an awestruck manner after her as she disappeared around the corner into the corridor. She was more than frustrated with him, how could he be so selfish and ignorant when Harry really needed him to be there for him? She didn't have time to come up with an answer to this though as she rounded yet another corner and ran sharply into someone.

"I do apologize," Cedric Diggory said breathlessly as he rubbed his chest where Hermione crossed arms had been embedded.

"No, no, it's all my fault," Hermione said hurriedly.

"My, we do seem to have a knack for running into each other, don't we?"

"Yes, I guess so," Hermione giggled as she looked up at him. She caught his eyes, those gorgeous blue eyes and she began to fall into their depths. The only thing she could guess was that she had a dreamy dumbfounded look on her face, but she didn't care at that point, she was there, with him, totally alone. '_My, he is handsome_' Hermione thought happily as she continued to stare at him, her eyes staring into his own. She let her vision travel down to his lips, goodness those lips which were so kissable to her. She could almost see them forming her name, until she realized that they were.

"Hermione? Hello, Hermione?"

"Huh? Oh...! What?"

"You were staring at me all funny like... Is there something on my face?" Cedric ran a hand from one cheek to the other and then through his golden hair.

"Oh, no... no, of course not," Hermione stuttered in embarrassment.

"You're sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure," Hermione mumbled as she shifted uneasily and stared at her feet.

"All right, then," Cedric sighed. "Well, uh- I guess I'll see you later, then."

"Yeah... later," Hermione repeated in a distant way.

"'Bye," Cedric bid as he side-stepped her and continued down the corridor, leaving Hermione to stand there feeling like a total fool for what she had done.

* * *

Things didn't seem to be getting any easier for Harry which put a bit of stress on Hermione. She didn't want to play the part of the only friend anymore, and if that wasn't bad enough, she was trying to be polite to Cedric and support him and Harry at the same time. Though that wasn't as bad as it seemed because she and Cedric had strangely grown distant since that day in the hall. He would simply nod while passing and then go on to his class and she would smile meekly and bow her head. But the worst part of things was their Double Potions class that day. Hermione had sensed that things wouldn't be good when she walked down the corridor and saw Draco and the rest of the Slytherins waiting. 

"Like them, Potter?" Hermione's attention was caught by Draco's voice as he called out to Harry and pointed to a pin on his chest. "And this isn't all they do – look!" Hermione watched him press the pin and saw green words flash _POTTER STINKS. _Hermione was less than impressed when all the Slytherins started laughing, Pansy's snorting rising above all and annoying Hermione immensely.

"Oh, _very_ funny," Hermione barked with sarcasm. "Really _witty_."

"Want one, Granger?" Draco held out a badge to Hermione who only sneered at him. "I've got loads. But don't touch my hand, now. I've just washed it, you see; don't want a Mudblood sliming it up." Hermione had barely enough time to tell him to bugger off when Harry whipped out his wand.

"Harry!"

"Go on, then, Potter," Malfoy dared as he pulled out his wand. "Moody's not here to look after you now – do it, if you've got the guts-" Hermione was going to grab Harry's wrist and lower the wand for him, but she wasn't fast enough as they both cried out a spell.

"_Furnunculus!_"

"_Densaugeo!_" Hermione was shocked at what happened next. Harry's spell hit Goyle and did no improvements as boils popped up on his nose. Malfoy's, however, hit her and she clutched her hands to her mouth as her teeth began to enlarge.

"Hermione!" Ron came rushing toward her. He gave a great effort to pull her hand away, revealing her elongated teeth to all around them. She wanted to smack him, but held back on that thought as Snape appeared.

"And what is all the noise about?" He looked around at the students and then turning to Malfoy, he said, "Explain."

"Potter attacked me, sir-"

"We attacked each other at the same time!"

"-and he hit Goyle – look-" Snape took only a seconds look at Goyle before sending him off to the hospital wing.

"Hospital wing, Goyle." Hermione saw anger on Ron's face at the neglect of the fact that Hermione was also hurt.

"Malfoy got Hermione! _Look!_" Snape did in fact look, but it only got worse when he did because when he looked at the teeth which were now down past Hermione's collar, he replied with a hurtful remark.

"I see no difference." Hermione couldn't take it. She began to cry, how could he be so cruel? She turned and ran off for the hospital wing, tears streaming down her face.


	12. Paper Articles and the First Task

Chapter 12 – Paper Articles and the First Task

Hermione had been on her way to the Hospital wing, blinded by tears, when she ran into someone. She looked up to see Viktor Krum staring down at her in a transfixed way. She felt panicked and embarrassed all at once as she scrambled to get up, Krum reaching out and helping her.

"Es'cus me," Hermione mumbled quickly and best as she could with her large teeth as she continued to run off, leaving Krum looking dumbfounded. She made it to the hospital where Madam Pomfrey was bustling about grouching to herself.

"Dueling! In school! What next? Muggle Fire-sticks?" Hermione could only guess that she was talking about firecrackers or guns, whichever, Hermione didn't really care at the moment because Madam Pomfrey had halted in front of her with a large gasp and a half-fainting gesture. "My gracious, Miss Granger! What happened?"

"Mal-fa-"

"Mr. Malfoy? For the love of Mandrakes... when will the insanity end?" Hermione didn't know what to say, even if she could say anything at that moment. "Very well, then. Go take a seat on that bed down there. I'll be with you right after I clear up Mr. Goyle's boil problem."

"O- oka." Hermione walked down to the bed and sat down, her teeth were still growing, but not as rapidly as before. They were now down to her waist and she hoped that Madam Pomfrey would hurry because she didn't want to miss too many classes after this, or more importantly, have her teeth get any longer. About two hours later, Goyle's head was wrapped in bandages, and Hermione would have laughed, but her teeth, which were now down to her hips, made it impossible.

"All right, Miss Granger, just lie back on the bed." Hermione did as she was told and Madam Pomfrey got out her wand while handing Hermione a little hand-held mirror. "Just let me know when they are back to being the right size." Hermione nodded and watched a white light stream from the nurse's wand and hit her teeth with a feeling like biting into cold ice cream. Her teeth were shrinking and then something hit her. '_I could tell her that it was right, or I could let her go until they were perfect_." Hermione finally came to a conclusion as her teeth passed by what they normally looked like and went to a smaller size.

"Okay!"

"Let's see, now," Madam Pomfrey directed as Hermione sat up and admired her newly sized teeth in the mirror. "You're sure that's right?"

"Absolutely," Hermione replied happily.

"Well, I'll just as you to stay here for a while... maybe even the night so that I can see if the spell has any kind of lasting effect or if we have to work on it some more."

* * *

Hermione had stayed the night, and the next day, just when she thought things would be better, she picked up a copy of the _Daily Prophet_. In there, was an article about Harry. Hermione had been unpleased about it because it was not only untrue, but written by the same woman, Rita Skeeter, in which Mr. Weasley had said was a horrible person and reporter. What angered Hermione more was that she was mentioned. 

_Harry has at last found love at Hogwarts. His close friend, Colin Creevey, says that Harry is rarely seen out of the company of one Hermione Granger, a stunningly pretty Muggle-born girl who, like Harry, is one of the top students in the school._

Hermione stopped reading after this, she was angered at Colin at first and was making mental notes to slap him when she remembered how Rita would twist words, like Mr. Weasley had said. She also remembered how she had been called 'stunningly pretty'. Was she really pretty? She had been immersed in pondering this, when she saw Harry getting ready to go to class and decided to join him. He had been talking to Cho Chang, but now he seemed to be debating another battle against the Slytherins. When Hermione walked up, Pansy began her mocking and jeering, though Hermione handled things quite well.

"_Stunningly pretty? Her?_ What was she judging against – a chipmunk?" Hermione wanted to curse Pansy, but she simply took a deep breath, put her head high in the air and began to speak to an angered Harry.

"Ignore it. Just ignore it, Harry." They entered the class and soon found themselves talking about Ron. Hermione was trying unsuccessfully to get Harry to talk to him, but Harry remained stubborn.

"I didn't start this. It's his problem."

"You miss him! And I _know_ he misses you-"

"_Miss him?_ I don't _miss him_..." Hermione rolled her eyes and went about her work as McGonagall began walking around to see their transfigurations.

* * *

Days progressed and the first task was upon them. It was a little less than a couple of days away and Hermione felt that if she didn't get Harry and Ron talking soon, the stress of it all would get Harry killed in the first task. 

"C'mon, Harry, we'll go to Hogsmeade. It'll do you good to get out of the castle and away from things for a while."

"What about Ron, though? Don't you want to go with him?"

"Oh... well...," Hermione had been caught as she blushed. "I thought we might meet up with him in the Three Broomsticks..."

"No."

"Oh, Harry, this is so stupid-"

"I'll come, but I'm not meeting Ron, and I'm wearing my Invisibility Cloak."

"Oh, all right then...," Hermione relented. She would never understand how men could be so pig-headedly stubborn. "But I hate talking to you in that cloak, I never know if I'm looking at you or not." There wasn't much more argument to this though as Harry went and put on his cloak and they headed to Hogsmeade. Hermione was talking to him, pointing out new things or interesting things in the shop windows as people looked at her like she was crazy for seemingly talking to herself. "People keep looking at _me _now," she complained. "They think I'm talking to myself."

"Don't move your lips so much then."

"Come _on_, please just take off your cloak for a bit, no one's going to bother you here."

"Oh, yeah? Look behind you." Hermione couldn't figure out what he was talking about. It was a town full of people, who would bother him there she wondered as she did what he said and looked back over her shoulder. Rita Skeeter were now leaving the Three Broomsticks.

"She's staying in the village. I bet she's coming to watch the first task." They watched her walk away down the street, her bag swinging dangerous at her side, threatening to knock passer-byes over.

"She's gone." Hermione paused as she looked toward Harry's direction. She felt weird talking to him because she had this feeling that she was always looking too far to the left or right. "Why don't we go and have a butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks, it's a bit cold, isn't it?" There was a silence still and she felt annoyed with it as she added something hastily. "You don't have to talk to Ron!" She felt his hand push on her shoulder in a gesture to say yes as he steered her toward the Three Broomsticks. "I look like such an idiot, sitting here on my own," Hermione complained after she had bought some drinks and joined Harry at the table he had chosen. Hermione relented on this complaining though as he kept silent and she pulled out her S.P.E.W. record notebook. "You know, maybe I should try and get some of the villagers involved in S.P.E.W."

"Yeah, right," Harry said somewhat amusedly. "Hermione, when are you going to give up on that spew stuff?"

"When house-elves have decent wages and working conditions! You know, I'm starting to think it's time for more direct action. I wonder how you get into the school kitchens?"

"No idea, ask Fred and George." This was the end of the conversation for a while as Hermione stared around the pub, looking for unsuspecting new members, and Harry, she could only guess, sat there staring around in silence as well. Hermione was watching around still when she noticed Hagrid sitting on the other side of the little, packed pub. "Look, it's Hagrid!" Hagrid was sitting with Moody and they were about to leave when Moody stopped him. They whispered something and then came over to Hermione's table, Hagrid being the first to greet her as Moody bent down to examine her notebook.

"All right, Hermione?"

"Hello," she greeted back. Hermione felt excited about Moody's examining of her book, but then she realized, he was whispering to Harry, though she couldn't hear what he was saying. It wasn't long before Hagrid, too, was whispering to Harry while pretending to look at the notebook. Finally, they finished and Hagrid stood up straight while bidding Hermione good-bye.

"Nice ter see yeh, Hermione."

"Why does Hagrid want me to meet him at midnight?" Hermione couldn't answer this, she seemed to be perplexed and startled about it all at once.

"Does he? I wonder what he's up to? I don't know whether you should go, Harry... It might make you late for Sirius." Harry had told Hermione that he had received a reply from Sirius that said he would meet him in the Gryffindor common room. "Why don't you send Hedwig down to Hagrid's and tell him you can't come?"

"No, I'll go, but I've got to be quick," Harry sighed. Later that night, Hermione helped Harry slip out of the common room and she waited in there patiently as he went to visit Hagrid. It seemed like forever that she had been waiting, and still no Harry so she decided that she would hear about it in the morning and turned in for the night.

* * *

The next morning, Hermione awoke and dressed, heading down to the common room to await Harry. She had been there for about an hour when Ginny came down the stairs looking a bit groggy as she joined Hermione on the couch. They sat in silence for about another hour when Ginny's stomach rumbled and brought them back to reality. 

"A bit hungry, are you?" Both girls giggled as Ginny nodded and they got up from the couch.

"Going to breakfast?"

"If they're still serving it," Hermione laughed. "I suppose Harry will find us later."

"You aren't really dating him, are you?"

"Oh, Ginny, don't be silly," Hermione scolded as they exited the portrait hole. "Harry and I are simply friends... I've just been around him a little more than usual lately because he needs the support. You should help me."

"Oh, I couldn't do that!" Ginny blushed at the mere thought of being around Harry and shook her head, her fiery red hair flinging about her face as she did.

"Of course you could," Hermione coaxed. "Harry needs all the support and friends he can get right now, especially with your brother being mad at him."

"Ron's stupid," Ginny added suddenly. "He's so stubborn and temperamental."

"You don't have to tell me," Hermione laughed with a slight sigh of exhaustion as she remembered how pig-headed Ron could be. They entered the Great Hall and ate breakfast with a bit of chit-chat about some of the newest fashions that Ginny was dying to try, when Harry finally joined them. He sat silently listening, not eating and seemingly waiting. He made his point though, when he grabbed Hermione's wrist when she had finished eating and drug her out on the grounds, Ginny looked a bit down-hearted when he did so. He began to fill her with information about what Hagrid had showed him, the dragons, and how Sirius had warned him against Karkaroff. Hermione hardly knew what to say when he finished, but she spoke, though slowly.

"Let's just try and keep you alive until Tuesday evening, and then we can worry about Karkaroff." Hermione and Harry began to walk around the enormous lake as they discussed the dragons.

"Do you know of any way to get past a dragon?"

"Well, Harry, I'm not entirely sure. Pretty much every fight that I've heard of involving a dragon and a wizard ends badly for the wizard...," Hermione said as she observed his reaction, the look on his face seemed to beg for mercy as he went a bit pale. "But let's not give up hope yet, there could be something. Why don't we try the library?" Harry didn't answer her as they ended their third lap around the lake and headed up to the library in silence. They entered the library and began their search for anything on how to subdue dragons.

"'_Talon-clipping by charms... treating scale-rot..._' This is no good, this is for nutters like Hagrid who want to keep them healthy..."

"'_Dragons are extremely difficult to slay, owing to the ancient magic that imbues their thick hides, which none but the most powerful spells can penetrate...'_ But Sirius said a simple one would do it..."

"Let's try some simply spellbooks, then," Harry suggested. They went and grabbed mounds of books to pile on the already covered table, both of them burying their faces in the books and looking for a spell to help. She could only imagine what people would say if they saw them like this. Malfoy's voice ran through her head in a teasingly jeering sort of tone. '_Look, the two Gryffin-dorks are having a romantic study session in the Mudblood's favor place, the back of the library!_' Hermione shook off this thought and went back to looking.

"Well, there are Switching Spells... but what's the point of Switching it? Unless you swapped its fangs for wine-gums or something that would make it less dangerous... The trouble is, like that book said, not much is going to get through a dragon's hide... I'd say Transfigure it, but something that big, you really haven't got a hope, I doubt even Professor McGonagall... unless you're supposed to put the spell on _yourself_? Maybe to give yourself extra powers? But _they're_ not simple spells, I mean, we haven't done any of those in class, I only know about them because I've been doing O.W.L. practice papers..."

"Hermione," Harry said in slow frustration, "will you shut up for a bit, please? I'm trying to concentrate." Hermione fell silent quickly, she figured that angering Harry wouldn't help his stress any as she continued to look for him. She was immersed in a book of simple spells when she felt someone's eyes upon her. She looked up and saw none other than Viktor Krum.

"Oh, no, he's back _again_, why can't he read on his stupid ship? Come on, Harry, we'll go back to the common room... his fan club'll be here in a moment, twittering away..." Hermione had no sooner said this and gathered their books to leave when the 'fan club' sneaked into the library.

* * *

They had been up all night searching in the books and nothing seemed to help. The next morning at breakfast, Hermione knew that something was the matter with him because he wasn't really eating and he kept staring around the Great Hall. When they got up to leave the table, she noticed that Harry was watching Cedric Diggory leaving the hall. She hoped that Harry wouldn't want to talk to him because she didn't know if she could bare facing him. 

"Hermione," he said, breaking her from her worried thoughts, "I'll see you in the greenhouses. Go on, I'll catch you up." Hermione tried to protest, but it seemed to be no use.

"Harry, you'll be late, the bell's about to ring-"

"I'll catch you up, okay?" Hermione shrugged her shoulders and shook her head as she continued off out across the lawn. She was halfway to the greenhouses when someone unexpected come up to her.

"Hello," said a strange voice from off to her right. She turned and saw Viktor Krum, and she couldn't figure out just what he was doing talking to her off all people.

"Hello," Hermione greeted back with puzzlement.

"Are you all right?"

"Huh?"

"You ran into me yesterday," he said with his deep Bulgarian accent. "I vas going to help you, but you ran off before I could. Vere you all right?"

"Um- I'm fine, I assure you, I'm just fine," Hermione said with even more uncertainty. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to be getting to class before I'm late." Hermione nodded and passed him by to rush off for the greenhouses. She was nearly there when she looked back over her shoulder and saw him watching her with a sort of crest fallen face. Hermione shook Krum from her mind, though as she went into the greenhouse and Professor Sprout began her lesson. It wasn't long before Harry joined them and began telling her about why he had been so late.

"Hermione," Harry whispered, "Hermione – I need you to help me."

"What d'you think I've been trying to do, Harry?" Hermione was growing past exhaustion with Harry, but right now, she had no time to argue with him because she was trying to perfectly prune her Flutterby Bush.

"Hermione, I need to learn how to do a Summoning Charm properly by tomorrow afternoon." Hermione had thought that he had meant more studying or looking for a charm, had he forgotten all about the first task? Was he really going to try and throw himself into his homework the day before the task? She didn't ask about it, though, she figured she would leave it go until later.

* * *

Later came sooner than Hermione would have liked. They skipped lunch and went to an empty classroom where Harry could practice the Summoning Charm. He was starting to do better than he had in class, because at least the things were coming toward him and getting halfway there at that. 

"Concentrate, Harry, _concentrate_..."

"What do you think I'm trying to do? A great big dragon keeps popping up in my head for some reason... Okay, try again..." Hermione nodded and walked as he summoned a book a little bit further than he had summoned the waste paper basket. He tried again and again, until the bell for the end of lunch rang. "Just one more try."

"No, Harry, I've got to get to Arithmancy, and you've got to go to Divinations. I refuse to skive off one of my class, especially one as important as Arithmancy," Hermione said in a point blank manner.

"All your classes are important to you," Harry grumbled as she gathered her books and left. Hermione's class went well, but all the while, she had been wondering how she could help Harry. It became apparent at dinner after that lesson, though, that he was just wanting to practice. She had barely finished even half of her dinner when he finished gulping down his and drug her off to an empty classroom to continue practicing.

"Harry, it's past midnight. We had better be getting back to the common room at least before someone catches us in here," Hermione said before giving a great yawn. Harry agreed and they put on the Invisibility Cloak so that they could make it back to the common room unnoticed. It took them another hour before Harry really learned how to do the charm right. In the next hour, he had perfected it.

"That's better, Harry, that's loads better," Hermione congratulated. She could feel her eyelids becoming heavier and heavier with each passing second, and she felt her eyes burning to be shut.

"Well, now we know what to do next time I can't manage a spell." Hermione was nodding in agreement when he threw an overly large dictionary at her. She almost toppled out of the chair she was in as she caught it, but she had managed to all the same. "Threaten me with a dragon. Right... _Accio Dictionary!_" Hermione was really thrown off when the book went soaring out of her hands. She was definitely too tired for this sort of thing.

"Harry, I really think you've got it!"

"Just as long as it works tomorrow. The Firebolt's going to be much farther away than the stuff in here, it's going to be in the castle, and I'm going to be out there on the grounds..."

"That doesn't matter," Hermione assured him. "Just as long as you're concentrating really, really hard on it, it'll come. Harry, we'd better get some sleep... you're going to need it." Harry seemed to agree and after they had put everything back, they retired to bed. Hermione was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, she hadn't even bothered to change into her pajamas. Her only problem was that she was rising for the next morning before she was really ready. She felt that she hadn't even been asleep for more than a couple of minutes, but Harry needed her support so she dragged herself out of bed all the same. Their first lesson went strangely slow to her, but she had been dazed throughout the whole thing. She had made a mental note to tell Dumbledore and McGonagall to never give her History of Magic first thing in the morning ever again. Things went all right after that, clear up until lunch when McGonagall came after Harry.

"Potter, the champions have to come down onto the grounds now... You have to get ready for your first task."

"Okay," Harry replied as he stood up from the table and followed McGonagall out of the hall.

"Good luck, Harry. You'll do fine," Hermione whispered to him.

"Yeah." Hermione smiled as she watched him leave, she definitely had a great deal of respect for him because he was such a strong person. Hermione felt her stomach begin to tie itself in knots, though. What if Harry didn't do as good as he had the night before? She shook her head.

"You shouldn't think like that," she scolded herself as she finished her lunch. In no time, Dumbledore was announcing that the students need to go down to the set up for the first task. Hermione quickly found Ginny and the two of them followed the other students out in silence. Hermione and Ginny finally found themselves in seat and couldn't help but feel nervous as Bagman came out and announced that the first task was beginning.

"I wonder when it will be Harry's turn?"

"I'm not sure," Hermione said as she craned her neck to see who was out first. It was Cedric. She felt her stomach drop, she was rooting for Harry, but she did hope that Cedric did all right. She watched on pins and needles as Cedric picked up a rather large rock off the ground and ran back away from the dragon while he transfigured it into a dog.

"What good will that do?"

"The dragon seems distracted by it," Hermione said as she watched the dragon go from the dog to Cedric, apparently unsure of which was a bigger threat, the crazy barking dog, or jittery Cedric. It seemed to be working though because Cedric was slowly slipping back to the eggs, he had just reached them when the dragon changed its mind and went for Cedric. Hermione gasped as he took off running, the dragon shooting fire at him and burning him.

"I hope those burns aren't too serious," Ginny said as she watched Cedric go back into the medical tent. "I mean Charlie comes home with them all the time, but he's used to them and knows how to treat them."

"He will be all right though... right?"

"I guess so. Madam Pomfrey is really good with healing," Ginny sighed as they began to watch Fleur. She too was slightly unsuccessful as she put the dragon to sleep, yet caught her skirt on fire. Krum was next and he managed to get his egg, but unfortunately, he got the dragon so riled, that it trampled some of its own eggs. Last was Harry, and Hermione couldn't have been more nervous.

"Please, Merlin, let him make it," Hermione kept praying. Things seemed to be going all right at first, he had cast his spell and it took a few seconds, but the Firebolt appeared. He mounted it and began to fly, which only made Hermione more nervous. She watched with anxiety like never before as Harry began to fly around. At one point, the dragon scratched him and Hermione felt as though she would faint, but she managed to continue watching as she pressed her nails into her cheeks out of fear. Things were getting more and more ghastly as Harry got closer and closer. He finally got the dragon to rear back and Hermione gasped along with Ginny as he dove down to the eggs.

"Oh, Harry! Please make it, please make it," Ginny screamed. Hermione closed her eyes for a second, but then she heard cheers from the Gryffindors and Ginny. She opened her eyes, and saw Harry flying over the stands, safe and sound.


	13. Into the Kitchens

Chapter 13 – Into the Kitchens

Hermione was making her way out of the stands in no time. She was rushing down the stairs, when she heard someone call out from behind her.

"Hermione!" She spun around quickly and saw Ron rushing for her. "Where are you going?"

"To see Harry. Are you coming?" She didn't give him time to answer, though as she rushed off for the medical tent to see how he was. Hermione had just entered the tent when Harry had reached its opening looking as though he was going to leave. "Harry, you were brilliant! You really were amazing! You really were!" Hermione noticed now that Harry wasn't even paying attention to her though, but instead he was looking at Ron.

"Harry," Ron said, "whoever put your name in that goblet – I – I reckon they're trying to do you in!" Hermione wanted to jump forward and hug Ron tighter than ever, but that feeling soon died as Harry spoke up.

"Caught on, have you? Took you long enough," Harry said in a cold way. She wanted to smack him. Ron was relenting just like Harry had wanted and he was throwing it back in Ron's face. "It's okay," Harry sighed before either she or Ron could say anything. "Forget it." Hermione felt the urge to hug them swell up in her again as her throat tightened.

"No, I shouldn't've-"

"_Forget it_," Harry ordered Ron. Hermione couldn't bare it any longer though as she burst into tears. "There's not to cry about!"

"You two are so _stupid_!" With that, Hermione left the tent and was on her way to find Ginny when she ran into Krum again.

"Hello," he greeted just as he had yesterday.

"Hello," Hermione greeted as she quickly wiped away her tears.

"Vhat are you crying about?"

"Nothing, nothing," Hermione said as she took a deep breath. "What are you doing? Shouldn't you been in one of the first aid tents?"

"No, I'm fine. I vas just coming out to see the scores," Viktor explained.

"Oh, you mean Harry's scores."

"Yes, he vas quite good," Krum admitted. Hermione smiled, Viktor was actually quite nice, nothing like she had imagined him to be. He was stuck up because of fame, and he wasn't rude, he was actually kind of modest. Hermione had been so busy judging Krum's character, that she hadn't realized that he was staring at her through an awkward silence.

"Well, uh- if you'll just um-... just excuse me," Hermione stuttered. "I'm going to look for a friend of mine." With that, Hermione rushed off to find Ginny, Krum staring off after her just as he had done yesterday. She felt slightly strange because of that, but she wasn't about to let it get to her, she was going to be happy today, for Harry.

* * *

"Hey, I've got to go to the Owlery," Harry said later that night, "want to come?" 

"Sure," Hermione and Ron chimed in unison. It felt so good to her, and probably not only her she thought, to have the three of them back to being friends. They left Gryffindor common room, Harry and Ron talking about Sirius, Karkaroff, Malfoy, Malfoy's dad, and all sorts of things that had happened while they weren't talking. Hermione didn't say a word though, she was content with just hearing them talking again. Hermione soon found the conversation had turned to the tournament, and Ron was filling Harry's head.

"You know what? I reckon you could win this tournament, Harry, I'm serious," Ron gloated.

"Harry's got a long way to go before he finishes this tournament. If that was the first task, I hate to think what's coming next," Hermione pointed out as she spoke up for the first time since they left the common room.

"Right little ray of sunshine, aren't you? You and Professor Trelawney should get together sometime." Hermione shook her head, she was only trying to point out the truth of the matter. Then again, tonight was supposed to be happy, she wasn't about to let things get ruined. "Well, we'd better get downstairs for your surprise party, Harry," Ron said. "Fred and George should have nicked enough food from the kitchens by now." Hermione followed them out of the Owlery as she thought about this. '_So Fred and George do know how to get into there. Wonder if they would tell me how?_'

"C'mon, Hermione," Harry called as Hermione lagged behind. She looked up and realized that Harry and Ron were halfway down the corridor. She ran to catch up, all three of them entering the common room where the party was just beginning. The trio had ate and ate some more until they finally had to retire to chairs in the corner where they were soon joined by Lee Jordan, Fred, George, and others. Lee was playing with the egg Harry had gotten in the first task, when he suggested that Harry open it.

"He's supposed to work out the clue on his own," Hermione cut in. "It's in the tournament rules..."

"I was supposed to work out how to get past the dragon on my own too," Harry whispered to her. She grinned sheepishly and blushed a bit as she realized she should practice what she preached.

"Yeah, go on, Harry, open it!" Hermione sat back and watched as Harry took the egg and opened it, but as soon as it did, a horrible screech erupted from it. It sounded like ten banshees screaming all at once. Hermione put her hands over her ears and saw Fred's mouth moving, but she could barely make out what he was saying. Hermione's ears were still ringing even after Harry closed the egg and she could only hear fractions of what people were saying. She had heard something about a banshee and then something about the Cruciatus Curse, but the only thing she heard fully was Fred's voice as he stood next to her offering her a jam tart.

"Want a jam tart, Hermione?" She was doubtful as she realized that this could be one of their experiments that Mrs. Weasley hated so much. "It's all right. I've haven't done anything to them. It's the custard creams you've got to watch-" Hermione felt a bit of alarm as Neville began to spit out what he was eating, but then Fred laughed. "Just my little joke, Neville..." Hermione sighed and shook off the weary feeling as she took one of the pastries she was being offered. Then something dawned on her.

"Did you get all this from the kitchens, Fred?"

"Yep," he replied, then he pretended to be a house-elf, much to the amusement of those around them. "'Anything we can get you, sir, anything at all!' They're dead helpful... get me a roast ox if I said I was peckish." Hermione felt excitement rise in her as she continued to ask questions.

"How do you get in there?"

"Easy. Concealed door behind a painting of a bowl of fruit. Just tickle the pear, and it giggled and-" Hermione felt the excitement die as he stopped and looked at her with some suspicion. "Why?"

"Nothing." Hermione had been too quick because George had caught on.

"Going to try and lead the house-elves on strike now, are you? Going to give up all the leaflet stuff and try and stir them into rebellion?" Hermione wasn't exactly going to try that, but it didn't sound like a bad idea.

"Don't you go upsetting them," Fred said sternly, almost warningly, "and telling them they've got to take clothes and salaries! You'll put them off their cooking!" Hermione was about to say something in protest when Neville turned into a canary with a large pop. Hermione smiled to herself as she slipped out of her chair and up to her dorm as Neville's distraction caught everyone's attention. Now was her chance to formulate a plan.

"I won't upset them or put them off their cooking," Hermione whispered as she closed the dorm door behind her and went over to her bed. "I'll just show them the error in their working ways... with a little help from Harry and Ron that is." Hermione got out a notebook and began to write down things she could tell the house-elves and things she could do to persuade them that their treatment was unfair.

* * *

Hermione had been in the library everyday after lessons and she noticed that someone else had too. Viktor Krum. She felt herself growing uncomfortable with this because each day, he would get a seat closer and closer to hers. She felt that if she didn't soon move, he would be sitting on her lap within three days. She felt eyes upon her, and looked up from her book on house-elves to see him staring at her. It scared her in a way, so she got up to go look for a book, seeing that as her only escape. She was wondering in the rows of dusty books when she noticed someone come into the aisle she was in. It was Cedric. 

"Hello, Hermione," he greeted.

"Cedric," Hermione said politely in return.

"How's the uh- house-elf thing coming?" Hermione noticed Cedric look to the three books in her arms and then she looked to his chest. He wasn't wearing his S.P.E.W. badge anymore.

"It's fine... more members than I had expected," Hermione lied with a forced smile. Silence followed these words, and she soon felt herself wanting to run as she turned her attention to the books in her arms. Cedric was about to say something, but he didn't say what she thought he might.

"Hello, Krum," Cedric greeted. Hermione turned around and noticed Viktor standing in the aisle with Hermione and Cedric. Viktor said nothing, but he simply nodded to Cedric and then smiled awkwardly at Hermione. She smiled back in an uncertain way before figuring it best to leave the aisle. She was safely back at her table when she looked up to see Cedric checking out a book. Now was her chance to tell him that she was sorry for being so distant lately and that she didn't mean to make things between them awkward. She stood up and gathered her books quickly, and was about to leave when someone stopped her.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" Hermione saw Krum before her, his dark profile scaring her a bit as she realized he was staring at her a little more attentively than she would have liked.

"No, I was just leaving," Hermione said as she dodged him and ran to the counter to check out her books. Madam Pince was taking an awful long time to check out her books, so long that by the time Hermione got out into the hall, she had completely missed Cedric. Her heart faltered. She couldn't really be falling for him, could she? "Oh, well," she sighed to herself as she readjusted her book bag on her shoulder and decided to head off for the common room when something hit her. She could head off for the Hufflepuff's common room, everyone knew it was in the same corridor as the kitchens. She would wait for him there. Hermione was running along the corridors, when she ran into Nearly Headless Nick.

"Good evening, Miss Granger," he greeted.

"Hello, Nick. Sorry, no time to talk!" Hermione rushed right past him and down the corridors to the hall where the kitchens were. Hermione had been waiting several minutes when she realized that dinner was over and there was no reason for Cedric to come out now. With a frown, Hermione decided that there was nothing to do but to go back to her own common room. She was on her way down the corridor when she passed something that sparked interest in her. It was a painting of a fruit bowl with a rather large green pear on it. Hermione couldn't figure out why, but she had the strangest urge to tickle it, and then she remembered what Fred had told her. Hermione did just that, she tickled the pear. It giggled and swung forward to reveal a door. Hermione went inside and came face-to-face, or rather thigh-to-face with someone she thought Harry would be happy to see.

"Harry!" Hermione was on the seventh floor now, she had ran the whole way there to get Ron and Harry. Much to her liking, they were just getting ready to go into the common room. "Harry, you've got to come – you've _got_ to come, the most amazing thing's happened – please-" She grabbed Harry's arm and began to pull him off down the corridor, the kitchens being their new destination.

"What's the matter?"

"I'll show you when we get there – oh, come on, quick-"

"Okay." Harry and Ron were soon following Hermione down the many corridors, straight for the kitchens. "Hermione, where are we going?"

"You'll see, you'll see in a minute!"

"Oh, hang on...," Harry said slowly. "Wait a minute, Hermione..."

"What?"

"I know what this is about." Hermione watched Harry point out the painting of the fruit bowl to Ron and soon, he too was protesting.

"Hermione! You're trying to rope us into that spew stuff again!"

"No, no, I'm not. And it's not _spew_, Ron-"

"Changed the name, have you? What are we now, then, the House-Elf Liberation Front?" Ron was looking very annoyed, and Hermione was growing impatient with his complaining. "I'm not barging into that kitchen and trying to make them stop work, I'm not doing it-"

"I'm not asking you to!" Hermione paused for a moment, she needed a way to explain this. "I came down here just now, to talk to-" She couldn't tell them the truth or they would get suspicious and act weirdly about it. "To talk to them all, and I found – oh, com _on_, Harry, I want to show you!" Hermione grabbed his yet again by the arm and did just as she had before, tickled the pear, let it giggle and went in the door. Hermione didn't even have time to explain when someone came hurtling at them.

"Harry Potter, sir! _Harry Potter!_"

"D-Dobby?"

"It _is _Dobby, sir, it is! Dobby had been hoping and hoping to see Harry Potter, sir, and Harry Potter had come to see him, sir!"

"Dobby, what are you doing here?"

"Dobby has come to work at Hogwarts, sir! Professor Dumbledore gave Dobby and Winky jobs, sir!"

"Winky, she's here too?"

"Yes, sir, yes!" Hermione watched happily as Dobby lead Harry over to where Winky was sitting by the fire on a stool. If Hermione couldn't bring the house-elves salaries, she could at least bring them happiness.

"How did you find this place?" Hermione turned to Ron as Harry and Dobby stood across the kitchen talking to Winky.

"Um-," again, Hermione couldn't tell them she had been looking for Cedric. "Long story... I'll tell you later." Hermione smiled and went over to where Harry was, but she felt her happiness flea her as she saw Winky. "Oh, dear." Hermione looked around at Ron and Harry and Dobby before turning back to Winky. "Winky, don't cry, please, don't..."

"Would Harry Potter like a cup of tea?" How could Dobby offer such a thing at a time like this, Hermione just didn't understand it.

"Er – year, okay," Harry replied. How could Harry accept it was something more she didn't understand. Suddenly they were surrounded by house-elves who brought them food and drink. Hermione didn't know if she could bare this.

"Good service!" Hermione frowned, Ron could be so stupid at times, but she decided to keep quiet about it in the presence of the house-elves. Hermione sighed and went on listening to Harry and Dobby's conversation about Dobby's working at Hogwarts, Hermione becoming pleased with the fact that Dobby was wanting to be paid. The conversation didn't seem to help Winky though, it only made her worse as she began to cry harder and now lay on the floor sobbing. Hermione dropped to her knees to help the poor thing, but nothing seemed to make her stop. In fact, Hermione made it worse when she asked how much Dumbledore was paying her.

"And how much is Professor Dumbledore paying _you_, Winky?" For the first time, Winky spoke up as she glared at Hermione through her tears.

"Winky is a disgraced elf, but Winky is not yet getting paid! Winky is not sunk so low as that! Winky is properly ashamed of being freed!"

"Ashamed? But – Winky, come on! It's Mr. Crouch who should be ashamed, not you! You didn't do anything wrong," Hermione argued lightly. "He was really horrible to you-" This only sent Winky into fits of shouting though as Hermione stopped and Harry and Dobby continued to talk. It would seem that the longer Hermione was down in the kitchens, the more she wanted to help the house-elves. Especially when Dobby began beating his head on the table for speaking illy against the Malfoy's, but what shocked Hermione more was when Winky said Ludo Bagman was a bad wizard. Bagman, bad? It didn't make sense. Hermione was a bit happy to leave the kitchens, she wasn't one for depressing things. She was kind of happy, though when Ron offered to give Dobby the shirt his mom knitted for him for Christmas.

* * *

Hermione lie awake one night in bed, her mind racing with aspects of the past four days. Professor McGonagall's voice kept ringing in her head along with the mad giggling of Parvati and Lavender. McGonagall had told them at the end of her class that there would be a ball for the tournament. She had kept saying it was a tradition and she told Harry that he had to find someone. Hermione would have gladly gone if he had asked, but only as friends. Hermione also would have gone with Ron, had he asked her, but she didn't see that happening. 

"Fat chance," she grumbled in the dark as she rolled over and hugged her pillow. She recalled the slight row she and Ron had just had only two hours before.

" _We _should_ get a move on, you know... ask someone. He's right. We don't want to end up with a pair of trolls."_

"_A pair of... _what_, excuse me?"_

"_Well – you know. I'd rather go alone than with – with Eloise Midgen, say."_

"_Her acne's loads better lately – and she's really nice!"_

"_Her nose is off-center!"_

"_Oh, I see. So basically, you're going to take the best-looking girl who'll have you, even is she's completely horrible?"_

"_Er – yeah, that sounds about right."_

Hermione rolled her eyes now. How could guys be so shallow? Hermione would like to show up with someone they would perfectly despise, just to show them. Her mind began working, but everyone that they despised, she seemed to as well, and for good reason, like Malfoy for instance. Suddenly she thought of someone as she ran through names in her head, jumping from house to house. Cedric Diggory. She would love to go with him.

"Fat chance again," Hermione sighed. But then again, she didn't know that for sure. They were friends and Cedric was champion, that did require him to have a partner, maybe it could be her. '_Or his girlfriend_' her mind suggested. "Yeah, Cho Chang... Definitely no chance now." She parted her hangings and climbed out of bed to go look out the window. Her eyes landed on the Durmstrang ship with its billowing black sails and its seemingly black structure against the shimmering lake. The moon was making it a beautiful sight, and the more Hermione hoped that the moon would be out the night of the ball and make her like the lake, beautiful in its light, the more she thought that it wouldn't hurt to try and ask Cedric. The least he could do was say no.

* * *

The next morning really was something. Hermione jumped out of bed at eight o'clock to get ready. She put on the best of her school robes and pulled her hair up in a cute fashion just as Lavender would, though Lavender's usually looked better. She put on a bit of make-up and with one last look in the mirror, she grabbed the books she needed to return to the library and left the Gryffindor Tower. She had made it to the library, all the way hoping that Cedric hadn't been back to return his books yet. When she got there, there seemed to be no one in the library, but then, much to her horror, Viktor Krum came out from around a bookshelf. 

"Hello." Hermione frowned as he said this. If Cedric came in and saw him talking to her, then he might think that she was going to the ball with Viktor.

"Hi," Hermione greeted as she passed him by and went into the back to look at a card catalog. She had been there for what seemed like ages upon ages, when finally Cedric came in. Hermione felt her heart leap as she realized it was now or never. Cedric was headed her way, all she would have to do was say a polite hello, inquire about the ball, and then ask him. "Hello, Cedric."

"Oh, good morning," he said in a cheery tone as he stopped in front of Hermione with a smile. Hermione felt that that smile was only making her more intimidated by the minute.

"What are you er – doing here so early?"

"Just returning a book," Cedric replied. "What about you? Still working on the house-elf liberation?"

"Yeah... it's coming along nicely, but I've taken a little break for now," Hermione sighed, and then she thought to add something that might help progress the subject. "Seeing as the Yule Ball is coming and all."

"Ah, yeah, that it is."

"So, Harry was telling me that the champions have to have a date because they have to start the ball off with a dance with their partners," Hermione chatted.

"Yep," Cedric agreed as he nodded and then gave a weak smile.

"Yeah," Hermione sighed. Why couldn't she ask him? It was just a simple question. Where had all the courage she had had before gone? That awkward silence that always seemed to accompany them when they were together for more than two minutes came and enveloped them.

"So, who are you going with?" Hermione's heart skipped a beat. Could he possibly be asking her?

"No one yet," Hermione said hopefully.

"Really?"

"Yeah," Hermione breathed, her heart pounding faster and faster with each passing second. She could have swore that he could hear it because what he did next seemed to stop it.

"You'll find someone to ask you... just don't say yes to anybody, though. Make sure they're worth it," Cedric said with a smile. Hermione saw this as a dismissal and she nodded before feeling her arms and legs start to go numb.

"Yeah, I'll make sure of that," she said as her throat tightened. "Well, if you'll excuse me, there's a book I need to get." Hermione turned and walked off toward a bookshelf, she could feel his eyes staring at her as she retreated. She went behind the shelf and took a moment to breath before peeking over the books at him as he stood there, rooted to the spot where she had left him. Why was he still standing there looking like he was lost? Hermione stood up straight and with a furrowed brow, she turned to get the book she had come for, but she was shocked when she turned and end up coming face-to-face with someone.

"Hello, Her-mee-one," Viktor said. Hermione went wide-eyed and nearly jumped four feet in the air as he smiled weirdly at her. '_How does he know my name?_'

"Hello, Viktor." He smiled more when she said his name, and for some reason, she felt like giggling. "Can I help you with something?"

"I vas just vondering who you vere going to the ball vith?" Hermione was really taken aback now. She looked around to make sure this wasn't some kind of joke, but she saw no one, even Cedric had moved.

"No one. Why?" Hermione watched him take a deep breath, and she cocked a brow as he seemed to fidget a bit before speaking up in a voice that wasn't his own, or at least it didn't sound like it.

"Because I vanted to know if you vood like to go with me?" If Hermione had been taken aback before, it was nothing compared to how she felt now. Her eyes bugged and her jaw dropped a bit as he stood there waiting for her answer.

"You- you want to- to go with me?"

"Yes," he said quickly. Hermione smiled suddenly. Here was a famous Quidditch player and champion for Durmstrang, and he, of all people, was asking her to the Yule Ball.

"Um-... okay. I'll go with you," Hermione agreed. His eyes seemed to light up and he looked as though he could hug her on the spot. She looked down at the card in her hand from the card catalog, and decided that it wouldn't hurt to get to know him since she was going to the ball with him. "Care to join me?" He looked at the book in his hand and then at her with a smile before nodding. The two of them seemed to be rather happy, but one person in the area wasn't. Cedric Diggory. He had been hiding around the corner of the bookshelf in which they had been next to, and he had heard everything.

"So much for asking her to the ball," he sighed in defeat as he watched from over a row of books as they sat down and began talking.


	14. A New View on Hermione

Chapter 14 – A New View on Hermione

Later that day, Hermione was walking through the corridor to go to lunch as she thought about Viktor, when Neville stopped her.

"Hello, Neville," Hermione greeted with a smile. She felt nothing could bring her down now, Viktor had turned out to be a very nice person, not bothered or corrupted by fame at all. In fact, she had quite enjoyed her chat with him and she was quite excited about going to the ball with him.

"Uh- Hermione," Neville began in one of his nervous, fidgety manners.

"What homework do you need help with now?" Hermione giggled, but that didn't seem to make Neville's situation any better. She saw this and suddenly became serious hoping it wasn't something like that day after Moody's class where he had went pale and freaked out. "What's the matter?"

"Would you um- would you like to go to the- uh- the thingy with me?"

"What thingy?"

"The ball?"

"Oh, Neville," Hermione said suddenly as though she had just heard his dog had died or something. "I'm terribly sorry, Neville. It's not you, definitely not, you've been a pleasure to work with and stuff, but I'm already going with someone." Hermione frowned as he went very pink and then very pale before muttering good-bye and then leaving. She sighed, it felt good to be able to say she had someone to go with, but not to someone like Neville.

* * *

It was time for dinner and Hermione was now on her way there with Harry and Ron. Both of them were discussing asking someone to the ball when Harry spotted Cho Chang. Hermione had a bad feeling about this as Harry told them to go ahead without him. 

"I'll meet you at dinner," he had told her and Ron before running off up the marble staircase. Hermione wanted to yell after him and tell him now to, but her attention was now turned to Ron who had left her side and was headed toward Fleur and Diggory. Hermione frowned as she saw Cedric, but she became more worried as Ron began to speak.

"Oh, he can't be," she tried to convince herself, but he was.

"Who can't be what?" Hermione turned and saw Ginny.

"Your brother," Hermione said as she pointed off in the direction of Ron who seemed to be coming to his senses all at once and looking very red in the face. Ron ran off as Fleur stood there looking anything but pleased, Ginny looking to Hermione quickly before running off after him. Hermione sighed and went into the Great Hall. Hermione had been sitting there for more than half of dinner when she finally realized that neither Harry nor Ron were coming down, so she decided to go and see if Ginny had managed to help Ron. She walked up to the Gryffindor common room with a smile on her face as she passed every window and saw the Durmstrang ship. She entered the common room to see Ginny and Ron sitting on the couch and Harry standing in front of them. "Why weren't you two at dinner?"

"Because – oh, shut up laughing, you two – because they've both just been turned down by girls they asked to the ball," Ginny answered.

"Thanks a bunch, Ginny," Ron replied with bitterness.

"All the good-looking ones taken, Ron? Eloise Midgen starting to look quite pretty now, is she? Well, I'm sure you'll find someone _somewhere_ who'll have you," Hermione taunted, but her taunts didn't seem to be getting through to him. He was staring at her strangely and she didn't like it in the least.

"Hermione, Neville's right – you _are_ a girl..."

"Oh, well spotted," she hissed.

"Well – you can come with one of us!" Ron looked from Hermione to Harry and then back again, but Hermione felt anger instead of epiphany like he did.

"No, I can't!"

"Oh, come on," Ron pleaded with lessening patience. "We need partners, we're going to look really stupid if we haven't got any, everyone else has..."

"I can't come with you," Hermione replied simply as she felt heat rising in her face. She knew that they would be mad if they knew why. "Because I'm always going with someone."

"No, you're not! You just said that to get rid of Neville!"

"Oh, _did_ I?" Anger was so immense in Hermione at that moment that she wanted to smack Ron. "Just because it's taken _you_ three years to notice, Ron, doesn't mean no on _else_ has spotted I'm a girl!" Her angered tone did nothing to sink in and make him feel guilty, though as he began to grin. How could he grin?

"Okay, okay, we know you're a girl. That do? Will you come now?"

"I've already told you! I'm going with someone else!" She didn't give him a chance to ask who, though. She went stomping across the common room and racing up the girls' dormitory stairs, slamming her dorm door shut behind her. "How can he be so thick?" Hermione wasn't up there by herself for long though as Parvati and Lavender came racing in, cornering her and beginning to bombard her with questions.

"Who are you going with?"

"What?"

"Harry said you already had a date to the ball," Lavender explained. "Who are you going with?"

"I- uh-"

"We figured that you would go with Ron," Parvati said in astonishment. "Who are you going with?"

"I- uh- I can't tell you," Hermione said finally.

"What? Why not?"

"Let her alone, then, Parvati," Lavender giggled. "It must be someone she's embarrassed about."

"It is not! Ask Ginny, though she won't tell you, but she can tell you I'm not embarrassed about it," Hermione protested.

"Okay, sure," Lavender went on.

"Fine! I'm going with a boy from Durmstrang," Hermione snapped.

"Durmstrang?"

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, Parvati, I'm serious. He's quite nice, you know," Hermione sighed finally.

"Are- are they any different from the boys here?"

"Oh, don't be silly, Lavender," Hermione groaned. "They are all human, all the same. _He_ on the other hand seems to be a little sweeter and stuff, though."

"Who is it?"

"Can't tell you," Hermione sighed as she plopped down on her bed.

"Fine," Parvati droned.

"We'll just see at the ball," Lavender agreed as she too dropped down onto her own bed.

* * *

Hermione had never been so on her guard. It would seem that everyone was determined to get out of her who she was going to the ball with. Parvati and Lavender would ask her every morning she woke and every night she had gone to bed, until she got to the point where she was tired of hearing it and wanted to put a Silencing Charm on them. Ron had persisted in asking as well, not letting her have her piece. 

"Hermione – who are you going to the ball with?"

"I'm not telling you, you'll just make fun of me."

"You're joking, Weasley! You're telling me someone's asked _that_ to the ball? Not the long-molared Mudblood?" Hermione turned slowly to see Malfoy, Harry and Ron both looking as though they were going to hex him, but she wasn't about to let him get the last laugh. "Hello, Professor Moody!" Hermione waved at the imaginary Moody behind Malfoy as he jumped and went pale, looking around wildly for the professor. "Twitchy little ferret, aren't you, Malfoy?" Draco said nothing as Hermione and the boys went up the marble staircase laughing.

"Hermione," Ron spoke up. Hermione feared that he was going to ask her again, but he didn't, instead, he commented on something else. "Your teeth..."

"What about them?"

"Well, they're different... I've just noticed..."

"Of course they are – did you expect me to keep those fangs Malfoy gave me?"

"No, I mean, they're different to how they were before he put that hex on you... They're all... straight and – and normal-sized."

"Well," Hermione said with a sheepish grin. "When I went up to Madam Pomfrey to get them shrunk, she held up a mirror and told me to stop her when they were back to how they normally were. And I just... let her carry on a bit. Mum and Dad won't be too pleased. I've been trying to persuade them to let me shrink them for ages, but they wanted me to carry on with my braces. You know, they're dentists, they just don't think teeth and magic should," but Hermione didn't get to finished that thought as she saw something. "Look! Pigwidgeon's back!" Hermione had to hold back a giggle as Ron went after the tiny owl, scolding it and telling off some third-year girls for giggling and pointing at it.

"Clear off! Here – take it, Harry." Hermione waited on pins and needles as they went off the Gryffindor Tower and opened the letter from Sirius.

"He sounds exactly like Moody," Harry whispered as he tucked the letter into his robes. "'Constant vigilance!' You'd think I walk around with my eyes shut, banging off walls..."

"But he's right, Harry. You _have_ still got two tasks to do," Hermione pointed out. "You really ought to have a look at that egg, you know, and start working out what it means..."

"Hermione, he's got ages! Want a game of chess, Harry?"

"Yeah, okay," Harry agreed as Hermione gave a disapproving sort of glare. "Come on, how'm I supposed to concentrate with all this noise going on? I won't even be able to hear the egg over this lot."

"Oh, I suppose not," Hermione gave in as she settled down and watched their match. A little while later, Hermione decided that it was time for bed, though she didn't feel the least bit tired because she knew the Yule Ball was coming up the very next day, no to mention it was Christmas. "Well, I'm going to bed."

"Good night, Hermione," Harry called as she went off across the common room.

"Yeah, good night," Ron called as well.

* * *

Hermione awoke the next morning to find all sorts of presents at the foot of her bed. Mainly non-sugar sweets from her parents as well as a bit of money and some new clothes. She had gotten mostly books from her friends, a new diary from Ginny, and some mince pies as well as a scarf from Mrs. Weasley. But two presents really caught her eye. 

They were both from anonymous persons. It was a tiny box and inside was a bracelet, a charm bracelet to be exact. On the bracelet was a little charm in the shape of a house-elf. Next to it were four more charms, the letters S, P, E, and W. Hermione smiled as she waved her wand and the bracelet clasped itself around her wrist. The silver piece certainly was beauty as it shined and shimmered in the light.

The next present was a book as well, but this book was something special to her. For when she opened it, it played a sweet little tune that Hermione could have swore she had heard before. The book was of a romantic fairy tale about a princess who was a witch and a brave warrior who was a wizard. There were dragons on the cover and the most beautiful pictures Hermione had ever seen in a book. She loved this gift more than any other.

She cracked the book to the first page, she loved the feel and sound of a brand new book being opened. It excited her and made her want to read more and more until her eyes refused to look at the words any longer. She was just about to begin when she heard her name being called from the common room. She sighed and set the book aside on her nightstand, she would have to find these anonymous gifters and thank them immensely.

They went down to breakfast which Hermione enjoyed greatly, but something was constantly bugging her. That book. She wanted nothing more than to get back to the common room and read it. When they had returned to the common room, she found it to be too noisy to read. More to her dismay, Harry, Ron, and the rest wouldn't let her retreat to her bedroom to read.

Lunch rolled around and everyone began to fill up on turkey, Christmas pudding, and Cribbage's Wizarding Crackers. Hermione had gotten a neat little tiara out of hers, in which she and Ginny put in Ginny's hair. They laughed and giggled the whole lunch through until the twins came in and invited them to go outside for a snowball fight.

"C'mon, Hermione," yelled Fred as he and George and Ginny made a snow fort to fight against Harry, Ron, Dean, Seamus, and Neville.

"No, thank you. I'm content with just watching," Hermione sighed as she sat down on a rock by the lake. She was watching them play, laughing each time someone would get hit.

Then, the twins, without warning, threw a snowball at her. She managed to duck, but that was only one and there were two twins. As she sat there with her tongue out at them, George threw another snowball and hit Hermione. She was so shocked that she fell off her rock into the snow. She laughed and giggled as the cold snow melted slowly against her warm skin and hair.

She began to wave her arms and legs, making a snow angel in the fresh white powder. She was sighing with content when she looked up and saw someone watching her from one of the dark windows of the Durmstrang. It was Viktor Krum, the Durmstrang Champion. Hermione blushed and sat up in the snow.

Seeing Viktor reminded her that she still had to get ready for the Yule Ball, and with her hair, she knew that wouldn't be an easy take. Hermione looked at her watch, it was just about five o'clock, that would give her three hours to get ready.

"Oy! Hermione," called Fred. "Where are you going?"

"Up to the castle to get ready," Hermione called back as she made her way up the sloping front lawns.

"What do you need three hours for?" Ron had been off guard while yelling after Hermione, and this left an opening for George to his him hard in the side of the head. "Who are you going with?'

She entered the girls' dorm to find, to her relief, that Lavender or Parvati wasn't there yet and that meant that she could have the bathroom for fourth year girls to herself. Hermione gathered her things and shut the bathroom door as she dumped her things onto the sink. First thing, Hermione grabbed the extra large jar of Sleekeasy's Hair Potion and began to read the directions aloud to herself.

"Wash hair thoroughly before use. Apply to damp hair, working from end to root. Blow dry with magic and style away!" Hermione paused for a moment, looking at the sparkling label. "Simple enough," Hermione sighed as she began to strip down so she could get into the shower.

She washed her hair extra good, and when she got out, she wrapped a towel around her, her hair dripping all over the place.

"Now, where did I put my wand?" Hermione picked up her clothes she had been wearing earlier and began to search through them for her wand, finally finding it in her inside robe pocket. She wiped a spot on the mirror and checked her watch, she still had two and a half hours. That was enough time for her.

She twisted the cap off the jar of hair potion and crinkled her nose as a strange smell of a Muggle hair salon filled the bathroom.

"What's in this stuff?" The ingredients were listed, but Hermione had a feeling that some special had to be done to each ingredient, because it wasn't normal for there to be such things as Abyssinian shrivelfig, daisy roots, fluxweed, gillyweed, ginger roots, Graphorn horn, and salamander saliva. After reading the last ingredient, Hermione figured it best she just do her hair before it dried, or worse, she read something that made her even more sick and not want to put this stuff in her hair.

She tossed her head downward, her hair flipping forward to where she could easily apply the thick, sticky, gel-like potion to her hair. Once she had it well worked into her hair, Hermione stood up, her hair standing up as well, on end that is.

"Well, that just won't do," she giggled as she pushed it down flat to her head. She had thought she looked like the bride of Frankenstein. Once her hair was down where it should have been, she pulled out her wand. With a swish and a flick, a jet of warm air came out of her wand and ruffled her hair a bit. Once Hermione was done drying her hair, she grabbed a comb and ran it through her hair, something she had never been able to do before because her hair had always been too thick.

Her hair was poker straight and sleek. It shined like rays of the sun and it was amazingly radiant. She smiled broadly, but then reminded herself that she was only half done.

"Here goes nothing," she huffed as she laid down her comb and pulled out a curling iron. Now, normally, Muggle appliances didn't work at Hogwarts, but Hermione had found a way around this. She grabbed the curling iron and flipped the on switch. A little red light below this came on and Hermione felt a bit of triumph flow through her as the solar powered iron began to heat up. "Just a little curl will do it."

Hermione waved her wand at the curling iron and it floated up out of her hand and hovered behind her. She pulled her hair up in a ponytail and watched the curling iron move forward toward her hair. She separated a piece of her hair from the ponytail and watched the curling iron take it, rolling itself up to the very top of the ponytail where the beret was.

The iron stayed there fore a moment or two and then unfurled itself from her hair, a beautiful curl falling gentle from its iron clamp.

"Perfect," Hermione said softly as she admired the lovely little curl. She continued to do her hair like this, until all of the ponytail was in curls. Then she waved her wand and watched the curls spring up into an elegant bun that very much resembled a bow of brown silk ribbons.

Hermione couldn't help but smile from ear-to-ear at the wonderful job she had done. With haste, she put on her stunning blue dress, putting on her black school robes over it so that her dress was not visible. She gathered her things and left the bathroom, creeping back to her dorm where she grabbed her shoes and put on her jewelry and make-up.

"One hour left," Hermione said nervous as she looked at the clock on her nightstand. "Ron and them will be back," Hermione said as she looked out the window and saw that they were now tramping up to the castle. "I best get out of here." With that, Hermione tucked her wand into her robes and grabbed her scarf, pulling her hood up gently so as not to mess up her hair.

She had made it down and out of the castle without being seen by anyone. She soon regretted wearing the shoes she had as the coldness of the snow bit at her toes and turned them numb and purple. She finally made it to the Durmstrang ship and saw Viktor waiting on the deck.

"Hermy-own!" She blushed as he made his way slowly off the deck. He was quite handsome looking from where she was standing. He was in maroon robes with gold, it went well with his dark hair. She smiled as he stepped into the snow and seemed to speed up as he neared her. She began to feel butterflies as he stopped in front of her.

"Hello, Viktor," Hermione greeted.

"Hermy-own... you look beautiful tonight. I haff something for you," he said as he pulled out a white rose corsage. Hermione smiled as he put it on her wrist.

"Thank you," she said with a smile.

"Did you get my other gift today?"

"What gift?"


	15. Just Like a Fairy Tale

Chapter 15 – Just Like a Fairy Tale

"Your Christmas gift, Hermy-own," Viktor replied. "This one." He grabbed her hand and pointed to the charm bracelet.

"Oh, that was you that sent that! I loved it. It's very lovely, but how did you know about S.P.E.W.?"

"You haff a badge vith it on it," Viktor reminded.

"Oh, the campaign badges that I made. Yes, I forgot about that," Hermione laughed. "Well, thank you all the same. I really don't know what to say."

"You don't haff to say anything. I vanted to giff you something," he said with his deeply accented voice. Hermione blushed and a silence set in that sent shivers up her spine, but then again, it could have been the cold.

"Well, shall we go, then? I think my toes are completely frozen," Hermione laughed as Viktor nodded and held out his arm. Hermione flushed a bit, she hoped he thought that it was because she was cold, but took his arm nonetheless.

They started up for the castle, Hermione feeling quite happy because Viktor kept telling her how nice she looked. They entered the entrance hall and Hermione saw Harry and Ron talking to Padma and Parvati.

"Um- Viktor... how about we go talk to your friends," Hermione suggested nervously as she steered Viktor toward the group of Durmstrang students.

"Are you from Hogwarts?"

"Yes, she is," Viktor answered one of his fellow students. "Vhy?"

"Karkaroff von't be happy, Viktor," the boy pointed out.

"He von't say anything to him, though," said another one of the Durmstrang boys.

"Champions over here, please!" Hermione turned and saw Professor McGonagall at the door of the Great Hall.

Viktor smiled at Hermione and led her over to where McGonagall was. Hermione felt her nerves twinging as she realized Harry was coming her way with Parvati. Hermione looked away and found that Cedric and Cho were stand near them as well. Hermione figured that she would rather talk to Harry and Parvati than Cho and Cedric.

"Hi, Harry! Hi, Parvati!" Hermione smiled at them nervously as Parvati gaped at her and Harry stood there wide-eyed. They said nothing to her as they doors of the Great Hall opened and Viktor's fan club came past Hermione, glaring all the while. Hermione wasn't enjoying this at all, everyone was gaping or glaring at her, but then again, the next person to walk past really brightened her night.

It was Malfoy and Pansy and Pansy was gaping while Malfoy stared in disbelief. Hermione even caught him throw Pansy a look and then look back to herself as though comparing the two.

Hermione smiled a little more confidently now, but the smile soon faded as Ron walked toward her and then right past her. '_Maybe he didn't notice me_' Hermione thought sadly. '_Yes, that's it, he's not used to seeing me like this so he didn't notice._'

"Everyone get into a line, please, pair by pair," McGonagall ordered to the champions. Viktor tugged at Hermione's arm gently and Hermione got in line behind Roger Davies and Fleur. Behind Hermione was Cedric and Cho, behind them was Harry and Parvati. Hermione frowned as she looked back to Harry and caught Cedric looking at her in a saddened way as she looked back.

She forced a smile at him and he nodded as McGonagall began to lead them into the Great Hall. Hermione felt herself grow nervous as everyone clapped. She hoped that she didn't trip in her heels, she wasn't the best at walking in those things. Hermione was glad though as she stopped in front of a large table at the front of the Great Hall where the judges were seated.

Hermione looked around at everyone and her eyes landed on Ron who was glaring at her. She had expected him to be one of the ones gaping just like Harry and Parvati had done. What was wrong with him?

Hermione quickly looked away, she couldn't bare to have him glare at her like that. She looked instead to Viktor who smiled graciously and looked back to Karkaroff who was glaring at them as well. Viktor quit smiling and turned back to Hermione, remorse in his eyes.

Hermione noticed that everyone was starting to take a seat and, of course, Viktor took one next to Karkaroff. Hermione sat down on the other side of Viktor and waited to see where everyone else was going to sit.

Hermione watched Harry take a seat by Percy who was obviously there for Mr. Crouch and good thing too, she didn't want to see him tonight. Parvati sat on Harry's other side at the end of the table. Next to Percy was Roger Davies, then Fleur next to Madame Maxime. On Madame Maxime's other side was Dumbledore, and next to him was Karkaroff. After this was, of course Viktor and herself, and much to Hermione's horror, Cedric sat down next to her with Cho on his other side at the end of the table.

"You look radiant tonight," Cedric whispered to her.

"Thank you," Hermione said as she sat there with her head bowed. Krum had obviously heard this or noticed that Cedric was talking to her so he put his arm on the back of Hermione's chair and pulled her closer with a smile at Cedric who nodded and turned back to Cho.

"So, Hermy-own... vhat are you going to eat?"

"Um-," Hermione had never thought of this. What was she going to eat, and for that matter, where was the food? Hermione looked down the table to Dumbledore and watched as he looked down at menu. She picked up hers and pretended to look at it while she continued to watch Dumbledore.

"Pork chops!" Hermione watched the food appear on Dumbledore's plate and it looked good, so she figured she would have the same.

"Pork chops!"

"I am thinking I vill haff the same," Viktor said as he looked down at his plate. "Pork chops!"

"So, Viktor, how do you like it here at Hogwarts?"

"It's vonderful," Viktor exclaimed. "It's comfortable and nice."

"I bet you miss your own school, though, don't you?"

"Vell, ve haff a castle also, not as big as this, nor as comfortable, I am thinking. Ve haff just four floors, and the fires are lit only for magical purposes. But ve haff grounds larger even than these – though in vinter, ve haff very little daylight, so ve are not enjoying them. But in summer ve are flying every day, over the lakes and the mountains-"

Hermione was loving talking to Viktor, but Karkaroff seemed to not love it as he interrupted.

"Now, now, Viktor! Don't go giving away anything else, now, or your charming friend will know exactly where to find us!" Hermione wanted to say something like she wouldn't dream of coming anywhere near Karkaroff, but Dumbledore beat her to the punch.

"Igor, all this secrecy... one would almost think you didn't want visitors."

"Well, Dumbledore," Karkaroff beamed, his grotesque yellow teeth showing. "We are all protective of out private domains, are we not? Do we not jealously guard the halls of learning that have been entrusted to us? Are we not right to be proud that we alone know our school's secrets, and right to protect them?"

"Oh, I would never dream of assuming I know all Hogwarts' secrets, Igor. Only this morning, for instance, I took a wrong turning on the way to the bathroom and found myself in a beautifully proportioned room I have never seen before, containing a really rather magnificent collection of chamber pots."

Hermione giggled at this and tried not to snort to hardly and spit out her bite of pork chop. She straightened up and continued to listen as Dumbledore went on speaking.

"When I went back to investigate more closely, I discovered that the room had vanished. But I must keep an eye out for it. Possibly it is only accessible at five-thirty in the morning."

Again, Hermione began to giggle, this time, so hard that Cedric turned and looked at her. She blushed and smiled at him as she went back to listening to Dumbledore.

"Or it may only appear at the quarter moon – or when the seeker has an exceptionally full bladder."

Hermione couldn't stop herself now. She began giggling harder than ever, putting her napkin up to her face and trying hard not to choke. Again, Cedric turned and looked at her as she sat there laughing. He smiled and caught her eye as she yet again blushed. He continued smiling as he reluctantly turned back to a curiously gazing Cho.

Viktor must have noticed the interaction between Hermione and Cedric and decided to butt in.

"Hermy-own... you never told me if you liked my gift for you."

"Yes, Viktor, I love it," Hermione beamed as she twisted the bracelet upon her wrist. This too was saw by Cedric who smiled half-hearted and turned back to Cho again. "I'm only sorry I didn't get you anything," Hermione added.

"It's all right, Hermy-own, I am thinking that going to this ball vith you is a vonderful gift," Viktor said sweetly. Hermione blushed and bit into her bottom lip nervously as she decided a change of subject would be good as she noticed Harry watching.

"So, would you like to learn how to say my name... you keep calling me Hermy-own," Hermione giggled.

"Certainly," Viktor said with enthusiasm.

"Ok, here goes... just try to say Hermione."

"Her-my-own," Viktor pronounce.

"No, no. Her-my-oh-nee," she said slowly and carefully. She noticed that Harry was still watching and she was beginning to get a bit flustered and embarrassed.

"Herm-own-ninny," Viktor tried again.

"Close enough," Hermione grinned as she nodded to Harry. Once dinner was finished, Dumbledore stood, the students and staff of both Hogwarts and the other schools, following suit as he made the tables leave the floor and the Weird Sisters band walked out onto a raised platform.

Hermione watched the lights dim and Viktor grabbed her hand gently and led her out onto the dance floor. She became a bit nervous, she had never danced with anyone before in her life, and his duck footed awkwardness probably wouldn't make this any easier either. Hermione swallowed back her nerves and put one hand in Viktor's waiting one and the other on his shoulder as he put his other hand around her waist.

"Are you comfortable, Herm-own-ninny?" Hermione smiled and tried not to laugh at the way he said her name as she nodded her head and let him lead. Hermione was hoping that no one would notice her, but she was soon a bit caught up in dancing with Viktor.

She placed her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. She wasn't sure how long she had been like this, but she suddenly felt eyes upon her. She opened her own and looked around. She soon spotted who was looking at her. It was Cedric. He was peering at Hermione over Cho's head which was resting upon his shoulder.

He smiled and nodded and Hermione returned the smile as she turned quickly to look around the dance floor. Harry seemed to be doing well as he talked to Moody who was dancing a bit awkwardly with Professor Sinistra. A little ways off from them was Dumbledore and Madame Maxime, the pair looked quite silly, but danced quite gracefully. Hermione looked for Ron and spotted red hair, but it was only Ginny who was dancing with Neville.

Hermione suddenly became glad that she didn't go with him because she saw how he trod on Ginny's feet, though Ginny was humble about it. Hermione soon gave up looking for Ron when she saw Harry walking over to him, he was still glaring at her just as he had been earlier. She wasn't going to let it both her though as she continued to enjoy herself while dancing with Viktor.

After a few more songs, Hermione found sweat beginning to bead upon her forehead and she decided that a break wouldn't hurt.

"Viktor, would you like to take a break and get something to drink?"

"Certainly, Herm-own-ninny," Viktor beamed as they left the dance floor.

"I'll be over here with Ron and Harry," Hermione said as she pointed to the table where the two boys were sitting. She walked over and sat down and began to fan herself with her hand while smiling at them. "It's hot, isn't it? Viktor's just gone to get some drinks."

"_Viktor?_ Hasn't he asked you to call him _Vicky_ yet?"

"What's up with you?" Ron was being a total jerk and Hermione had no idea why.

"If you don't know," Ron hissed, "I'm not going to tell you.

"Ron, what-"

"He's from Durmstrang! He's competing against Harry! Against Hogwarts! You- you're-," Hermione was waiting for the anger to come of its mount to fly toward her as Ron seemed to be searching for a good enough word. "_Fraternizing with the enemy_, that's what you're doing!" Hermione was in shock, but she soon recovered and there was a bitterness to her voice as she spoke.

"Don't be so stupid! The _enemy_! Honestly – who was the one who was all excited when they saw him arrive? Who was the one who wanted his autograph? Who's got a model of him up in their dormitory?" Ron didn't answer this as he went on in a scathing manner.

"I s'pose he asked you to some with him while you were both in the library?"

"Yes, he did. So what?"

"What happened – trying to get him to join _spew_, were you?"

"No, I wasn't! If you really want to know, he- he said he's been coming up to the library every day to try and talk to me, but he hadn't been able to pluck up the courage!" Hermione felt herself growing extremely hot now and she knew it was because she was embarrassed, but why should she be? It was no crime for Viktor to like her.

"Yeah, well – that's his story," Ron said, showing pure ignorance.

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Obvious, isn't it? He's Karkaroff's student, isn't he? He knows who you hang around with... He's just trying to get closer to Harry – get inside information on him – or get near enough to jinx him-"

She could hardly believe he was saying this. Why wasn't she pretty enough to be able to have a guy like her for her? Why did they always have to have some kind of evil motive?

"For you information," Hermione snapped as she felt her throat growing tight, "he hasn't asked me _one single thing_ about Harry, not one-"

"Then he's hoping you'll help him find out what his egg means! I suppose you've been putting your heads together during those cozy little library sessions-"

"I'd _never_ help him work out that egg! _Never_. How could you say something like that - I want Harry to win the tournament, Harry knows that, don't you, Harry?" Harry didn't have a chance to answer though as Ron spoke up in a nasty way.

"You've got a funny way of showing it."

"This whole tournament's supposed to be about getting to know foreign wizards and making friends with them!"

"No it isn't! It's about winning!"

"Ron," Harry cut in, "I haven't got a problem with Hermione coming with Krum-"

"Why don't you go and find Vicky, he'll be wondering where you are," Ron snapped, ignoring Harry and the fact that people were starting to stare at them.

"_Don't call him Vicky!_" Hermione had heard enough, she wasn't about to take anymore of this as she jumped up and stormed off across the dance floor and out of the Great Hall. She continued out of the entrance hall and out into the garden that had been put in front of the castle. She dropped sulkily down onto a bench and crossed her arms around her chest and crossed her legs, jiggling her foot impatiently.

"Is it all right if I sit here?" Hermione was so angered, that she didn't even realize who was speaking to her until they sat down next to her.

"Cedric!"

"Hermione," he laughed. "What's the matter?"

"Ron... he's being a... a great bit... _git_," Hermione huffed. "I can't stand talking to him anymore."

"I see."

"So, why are you outside?"

"Cho is in there with her friends and she was kind of ignoring me so I slipped out for some fresh air," Cedric sighed as he looked up at the stars.

"I see," she giggled.

"Where's Viktor?"

"He's inside... probably lost in the sea of fans he has," Hermione muttered as she stared at her feet. "They waltzed right next to us the whole time... I was beginning to think I would have to get in a boat from all the drool around us." Cedric laughed along with her and she sighed heavily as she watched the fairies fluttering about.

Cedric suddenly coughed and Hermione looked over at him to see him looking upward. There above them was three little fairies holding mistletoe. Hermione giggled and didn't have time to move as Cedric leaned over and kissed her cheek. She pressed her lips together and blushed as he smiled at her.

"Would you like to go inside?"

"As long as I don't have to see Ron and I should be getting back to Viktor anyways," Hermione sighed as she took Cedric's hand and stood up. He led her inside and just as they entered, a fast beat song ended and a slow one started.

"How about a dance before we go back to our dates?"

"Um- well..."

"I'm a little sick of dancing with only Cho and I'm sure Viktor wouldn't mind," Cedric coaxed. Hermione knew that he would, but nonetheless, she did want to dance with Cedric.

"Okay," Hermione agreed as she put one hand on his shoulder and another in his hand. She shivered when he put his hand on her lower back and began to guide her across the floor gracefully. Hermione looked up at him, losing herself in his deep ocean blue eyes which sparkled happily.

Sound suddenly drowned away and she felt that this would go on forever, or so she hoped. Everyone around them disappeared and there was only him and her, dancing perfectly in each other's arms on a golden dance floor with mistletoe above them.

"Herm-own-ninny," Hermione heard. She looked to Cedric, but it wasn't him saying this. She shook her head and next to them she saw Viktor. Sound came flooding back and Hermione realized that the song was ending.

"Hi, Viktor," Hermione sighed as she and Cedric parted and Viktor took her hand.

"Vood you like to go dance some more, Herm-own-ninny?" Hermione looked to Cedric who smiled and sighed.

"I should be getting back to Cho," he said before disappearing into the sea of people around them.

"Very well, let's dance," Hermione answered as she let Viktor take her to the middle of the dance floor so they could dance, but all the while in the back of her mind, she was thinking of just how much she loved dancing with Cedric. It was just like a fairy tale, perfect in every way.


	16. Hermione & Cedric's Library Flirt

Chapter 16 – Hermione & Cedric's Library Flirt

Hermione finished off the night with Viktor, dancing until she felt her feet would fall off from being in those heels too long. When the night had ended, the two retreated to the entrance hall to say good-bye and then head off to their separate dorms.

"I had a wonderful time tonight, Viktor," Hermione sighed as she stood at the bottom of the marble staircase. "Thank you so much."

"No, thank you, Herm-own-ninny," Viktor beamed as he leaned down and kissed her cheek. She felt the heat rise in her face as he did this and she stared down at the shining tile floor.

"I suppose I'll see you tomorrow... maybe," Hermione said shyly.

"Yes, tomorrow," Viktor agreed as his friends stopped and waited for him at the door. Karkaroff was at the front of the group and he was still glaring at Hermione as Viktor grabbed her hand, squeezed it and kissed her again on the cheek before walking off to join the group of Durmstrang students.

Hermione was very thankful that Ron and Harry hadn't seen this, or she would never live it down. She did, however, see Ron staring in her direction as she watched Viktor walk away. She gave Ron a withering look and rushed up the staircase past him, in more of a hurry than anything to get up to the common room and remove those shoes. She stopped briefly though when she looked back and saw Cedric rushing up the stairs.

"Hey – Harry!" She frowned as she heard Cedric say this, but her frown didn't last long as she saw him smile and, from what she could see, wink in her direction. She wanted to walk down the stairs and pretend to wait with Harry so she could see Cedric, but Ron was headed towards her and she was in no mood to deal with him.

Figuring it her best bet, Hermione turned around and began to walk down the corridor toward the stairwell where the changing staircases lie. She made it up the first set of changing stairs when she noticed Ron right behind her, only half way up the flight of stairs she had just stepped off of.

"Hermione," he called, but she ignored him as she raced up the next set of stairs. She had thought that she might get away from him, but just as she was about to take a staircase, it moved away from her and she groaned as he caught up with her.

"Go away, Ron, I'm not in the mood," Hermione sighed with frustration as she descended the stairs behind her to go a different route to Gryffindor Tower.

"Hermione, we _need_ to talk," Ron said in a bit of a demanding way.

"We have nothing to talk about," Hermione said simply as she climbed the stairs.

"Oh, yes we do!"

"And what would that be, Ronald Weasley?" Hermione had just sounded so much like Mrs. Weasley that it was in a way scary to her and possibly him as he grimaced, though his grimace was quickly replaced with anger.

"Why did you go with him and not me or Harry?"

"Because you two saw me only as a last resort and I wasn't about to ask you if that's the way you saw me," Hermione hissed.

"Well, you're-," Ron stopped here and mouthed as he stood wordless at the bottom of the seventh floor staircase.

"I'm what, Ron?"

"You're our friend and it never occurred to us to ask you because we didn't see you like that," Ron said indignantly.

"Exactly my point," Hermione called down the staircase as she stood at the top staring down at him.

"Well, if that's your point, then why are you so mad?" Hermione couldn't believe he was being so stupid. She threw her arms up in the air with a grunt of frustration before turning and stalking down the corridor toward the tower entrance, Ron's calls following her as he ran after her.

"Wha- oh, I say! What's all this noise? Vi, wake up... do you remember the password?"

"It's Fairy Lights," Hermione growled before Vi nodded sleepily and the two of them went back to sleep while admitting Hermione. She hoped that the Fat Lady would close soon, but not soon enough apparently as Ron came in right behind her.

"Why did you go with _him_, though?"

"Because he asked me, Ron, and he seems to see that I'm a girl unlike you!"

"He's using you!"

"Oh, he is not. Get over yourself and quit playing daft all the time," Hermione hissed. "What's your big problem of me going with him anyways? You and Harry both had dates either way, whether I went with him or not."

"I just don't like him being with you!"

"What's wrong with me going to a dance with Viktor as friends?"

"Because he's strange and- and he'll try something, I know it!"

"Oh, honestly... you're being childish."

"Childish? Me, childish! Look at you – parading around on that Durmstrang git's arm at the ball, rubbing it in my face!" This really angered Hermione. She was not doing that, she wouldn't stoop so low as to use Viktor to make Harry or Ron jealous.

"Oh, grow up! I did not do that," Hermione yelled. By now, they were both red in the face and standing ten feet apart in the middle of the common room, yelling at the top of their lungs at one another. "If you don't like the fact that I'm friends with him, then why didn't you do something sooner?"

"I'll do something now! I forbid you to see him," Ron bellowed with authority.

"You can't do that," Hermione snapped.

"If I don't want you to see him, I can," Ron snapped back.

"I'd like to see you try! If you don't like it so much, then that's too bad because either you'll have to suffer it out or the next ti-"

"I will not suffer this out!"

"Well, if you don't like it, you know what the solution is, don't you?"

"Oh, yeah? What's that?"

"Next time there's a ball, ask me before someone else does, and not as a last resort!" She had won, and it was only then, that she noticed Harry was now standing off to the side of this scene watching in confusion and awe. Hermione looked back to Ron who was mouthing wordlessly and figured that it was best to leave this argument there and retire for the night. She was just about to turn around and head for her dorm, when Ron finally spoke up, though.

"Well- well- that just proves- completely missed the point-," Ron sputtered. Hermione rolled her eyes and shook her head, more of her hair falling down as she did. She turned on her heel and stormed off for her dorm, nothing more than a good night's sleep on her wish list for the rest of the evening.

* * *

The next morning, Hermione rolled over in bed and stared at the clock. If her clock was correct, which she couldn't be sure because she had thrown it upon entering her dorm last night, it was half way through breakfast time. She yawned and stretched as she sat up, but as soon as she finished stretching, she fell back down on the bed. 

She had no energy today, last night had completely worn her out. First the ball and then fighting with Ron, it was all too tiring. She sighed and decided she should get up some time, though. She walked over to her wardrobe and opened the door, the mirror on the door showing her that her hair was back to normal after her good night's sleep. She gave a half-hearted smile, she found that she was in fact happy with herself this way, it didn't matter to her anymore.

She pulled out a pair of jeans and a sweater from the wardrobe and put them on before slipping on her school robes over them. She entered the common room to see that not many people were up yet, but Harry and Ron were sitting on the couch by the fireplace so she decided to join them.

She sat down in a chair next to the couch and curled her legs up beside her as she watched the fire crackle and Crookshanks make his way toward her. He leaped up into her lap and curled up there, purring as she scratched his ears.

"Sleep well?"

"Yes," Hermione sighed in response to Harry. "You two?"

"Fine," Harry and Ron muttered in unison.

"Your hair looked nice last night," Harry admitted. "How did you do that?" Hermione grinned and giggled as she thought about telling him what she had done, and now that she thought about it, how funny it all had been for her to need three hours to do that.

"I used quite a bit of Sleekeasy's Hair Potion," Hermione confessed, "but it's way too much bother to do everyday."

"Oh," Harry sighed. Hermione noticed something hidden in Ron's expression as he looked up from the fire, but she couldn't quite place it as he spoke up, though quietly.

"Yeah, it did look nice," he added in a little more than a whisper.

"Thank you, Ron."

"Your welcome," Ron said in return. This kind of talk made Hermione uncomfortable because it was oddly formal, but still, they were talking and it was civilized so she couldn't complain. She was very glad when the conversation took a turn that made things a little more comfortable.

"You should have heard what Ron and I heard last night," Harry whispered. "We were out in the garden and we heard Hagrid talking with Madame Maxime and he said he was half giant. Then he asked her what side she got hers from and she got all offended."

"Well, I thought he must be," Hermione said as she shrugged. It was no shock to her that Hagrid had giant in him. She had guessed that upon first seeing him. "I know he couldn't be pure giant because they're about twenty feet tall. But honestly, all this hysteria about giants. They can't _all_ be horrible... It's the same sort of prejudice that people have toward werewolves... It's just bigotry, isn't it?" Hermione waited for a reply, but got none so she turned her head toward the window to look out at the Durmstrang ship.

She noticed that there were people jumping off the ship into the water in what looked like swimming trunks. '_Completely nuts, all of them_' Hermione thought to herself. '_I mean, I know that this climate here at Hogwarts is warmer than where their school is, but swimming in the dead of winter? It's utter madness!_'

* * *

Vacation moved on and Hermione would see Viktor most every day, especially at meals and in the library while she was doing her homework for the break. She had also run into Cedric. Each time they saw each other, though, they were polite and friendly to no end it would seem, but then they would reach an awkward stage in the conversation and return to silently working while glancing at each other. Like the last day of Christmas break, for instance. 

Hermione had been sitting in the library, putting the finishing touches on a four foot essay from Snape – '_Just like him_' she thought – expecting Viktor to appear any moment. She would have been in the Gryffindor common room by the fire doing this, instead of in the drafty library, but she had gotten sick of Ron's constant pleading to see her Defense Against the Dark Arts work so she had left with one last refusal to him. Not to mention, Harry's nervous mood had been bothering her.

He hadn't touched that egg, and she knew that last minute would come and he would be irritable and scrambling to figure the egg out. She would in no way help him though, she had helped him with the first task, she really shouldn't help him with this. She did want him to win, but it didn't give her license to help him, which would in a way be cheating since it was against the rules for the champions to get help with their clues.

This was driving Hermione insane, she couldn't concentrate with this kind of stuff on her mind. She closed her Potions book and was going to proof-read her Transfigurations essay, when she looked up and saw Cedric smiling at her.

He had just entered the library and he was returning a few books when he spotted her. She smiled and nodded, which in turn led to his joining her at the back table.

"Hello, Hermione," he beamed.

"Cedric," she greeted as she giggled at his extremely upbeat attitude. "What makes you so happy today?"

"Just the fact that I finally found you alone in the library," he answered. Hermione was happy about this herself, but she couldn't figure out why he would be.

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, really," he laughed. Hermione realized it then, that they were flirting with each other, and she became nervous and flustered.

"So, uh- what- uh- what did you want with me that you wanted to get me alone? Or, I mean- why were you waiting until I was alone? If you were waiting that is... I don't know if you really were waiting, or just per chance wanted to talk to me in private or something or-"

"Hermione, Hermione," he laughed as he tried to calm her down. She had been rattling off nonsensically and she now seemed to be quite embarrassed as well as nervous as her cheeks twinged a pale pink.

"Sorry," she muttered as she stared down at her hands in her lap.

"I just wanted to talk to you... ask you a few things," he said simply.

"Oh, okay. Go ahead," she coaxed.

"How's S.P.E.W.?"

"Fine, fine. It's coming along nicely really," Hermione lied. Really, she hadn't been working on it in a while. Ever since the night of the ball, she had forgotten all about it.

"That's good to hear. What about Harry? Has he cracked that egg's clue yet?"

"Not that I know of, but Harry's clever, he'll figure it out before February," Hermione replied. "At least I hope." They both laughed and Hermione found her heart fluttering as she noticed how his eyes danced with light as he laughed.

She inwardly sighed in a dreamy fashion as she continued to talk with him. He was so handsome with his ocean blue eyes and dirty blond hair. Hermione sighed again, though this time she was sure Cedric had heard as he raised his brow and stared at her.

"Don't you agree, Hermione?"

"Huh? Oh! Uh- yes, yes I do agree," Hermione answered hastily.

"That's settled, then." He paused while Hermione sat there smiling nervously, wondering all the while what she had just agreed to, but she was wondering so much that his next question completely caught her off guard. "So, are you and Viktor- well, you know... are you- _dating_ him?"

"Dating Viktor! Heck no... I like y- I likie him a little bit," Hermione stumbled with a broad, jittery grin.

"Likie?" Cedric chuckled at her strange word and smiled. Hermione floated back into a daze as she felt her heart melt from that gorgeous pearly white smile. He raised his brow again as he caught her staring at him weirdly for the second time, and this time Hermione saved herself.

"So, have you figured out your egg?"

"Yeah, oh, yeah. A week or so ago. I started cracking that thing when I first got it while I was sitting in the hospital tent," Cedric replied.

"Very wise of you," Hermione merited. "I wish Harry could be more like you with that clue. He's driving me crazy about it."

"Seems like you care a good bit," Cedric said.

"Of course I do. I really want Harry to win," Hermione agreed, but she soon regretted these words. As Cedric half smiled and looked away from her to the light snow fall that was coming down outside. "But a win for Hogwarts is a win for Hogwarts either way and I'm sure the best man will win," Hermione added. "I wouldn't mind your winning either in all honesty."

"Thanks. It means a lot that you support me."

"Me?" Hermione giggled stupidly, "I'm sure it doesn't matter if I do... I'd just be another girl from Hogwarts screaming your name as you compete." Cedric's brow shot upward for the third time in the conversation and Hermione choked on her breath as she realized what she had just said. "I mean, I'd just be another one of the girls supporting you because your Hogwarts champ... I'm sure I can't matter that much seeing as you have all those others, especially Cho Chang."

"Yeah," Cedric sighed, "well, she's none too happy with me right now anyways."

"Why?"

"Because she says that I'm too involved in the whole Triwizard thing and that I don't spend enough time with her," Cedric explained.

"That's just selfish!" Cedric had had his head bowed, but his head shot up at Hermione's words. "Oops. I do mean that in the best possible way, you know." Cedric smiled and nodded as Hermione continued. "Does she want you to win or not?"

"Some times I think that she wants Harry to win. She's been acting strange lately you know. She was talking one day about how Harry had asked her to the Yule Ball and she said that she was so flustered and stuff. I'm beginning to think she likes him more than me," Cedric finished with a half sighing laugh.

"Nonsense," Hermione giggled. "How could she? Any girl would be lucky to have you and I'm sure that they wouldn't leave you. She's just going through a tough time and doesn't know how good she has i-"

"Hello," came the voice of none other than Viktor Krum. Hermione frowned and turned to look at him.

"Hi, Vik-"

"Can you give us a minute?" Hermione was in shock as she turned to Cedric who was smiling politely at Viktor. Soon her shock turned to a smile as she turned to Viktor.

"Yes, please, Viktor. Just a moment," Hermione pleaded. Viktor's brow furrowed, but he nodded and walked away, and Hermione turned back to Cedric.

"What were you saying?"

"I forget," Hermione giggled.

"Something about Cho doesn't know how good she has it?" Hermione blushed and bowed her head while giggling even more.

"Yeah," Hermione sighed. "She just doesn't know how many girls would kill to be in her place."

"Do you know how many would kill to be in yours?" Cedric nodded to Krum who was pretending to look at a book while peering over the shelf at Hermione and Cedric.

"Yes, I have some idea of that," Hermione said defeatedly as though she didn't want to be the object of many girls' hate just to be with Viktor. "I guess I should go see what he wants before he starts cursing me over that row of books."

"Yeah," Cedric laughed half-heartedly as he watched her rise and walk away. "I just wish I could hold your attention like that," he sighed to himself as he stood up and left the library, head hung and heart heavy.


	17. Confrontation with Rita

Chapter 17 – Confrontation with Rita

Days seemed to fly by and Hermione soon found herself feeling very stressed with trying to get Harry to work on his egg, helping Ron and Neville with work, keeping up with her work, S.P.E.W., and her new task, Viktor. She was very grateful when a Hogsmeade weekend came, she could not only get away from work, but from him as well. He was starting to bug her just a bit with his constant appearing in the library while she was trying to study.

She, Harry, and Ron were on their way into the village, when something occurred to her. Harry should be working on his egg.

"I'm surprised that you are going, Harry."

"Why?"

"I just thought you'd want to take advantage of the common room being quiet. Really get to work on that egg," she answered.

"Oh, I- I reckon I've got a pretty good idea what it's about now," Harry said stiffly. Hermione knew he was fibbing, but she wasn't about to argue, she wanted a peaceful day. Besides, she guessed that he deserved today off as much as she did.

"Have you really? Well done," she congratulated in a lie. Things were silent from there on out until they reached the lake and saw Viktor jumping off the boat into the lake in nothing but swimming trunks.

"He's mad! It must be freezing, it's January!"

"It's a lot colder where he comes from," Hermione told Harry. "I suppose it feels quite warm to him."

"Yeah, but there's still the giant squid," Ron pointed out as he and Harry continued to stare on in amazement. Hermione looked anywhere but in Viktor's direction, she had seen enough of him for now.

"He's really nice, you know," Hermione sighed as she tried to convince Ron and even herself he wasn't a bother. "He's not at all like you'd think, coming from Durmstrang. He likes it much better here, he told me." Hermione recalled the Yule Ball and how Viktor was rattling on and on about how much he liked it better at Hogwarts than his own home school.

This seemed to end the conversation and things remained reserved except for the occasional 'hello' to students who would pass by them. They were busy window shopping when they decided to go for some butterbeers at the Three Broomsticks. Hermione was enjoying her drink when she noticed Ludo Bagman and felt slightly disgusted by his presence.

"Doesn't he _ever_ go into the office? Look!" She pointed to the mirror behind the bar where his reflection appeared. Hermione continued to watch along with Harry and Ron as Bagman rattled on in low tones to some angry looking goblins. Hermione had a feeling that this conversation Bagman was in, was anything but good.

Hermione quickly diverted her attention, though as Bagman came over and stole Harry away from the table where the Golden Trio was seated. Hermione turned her attention away from this as she drank her butterbeer and watched out the window. She soon saw Cedric walking past with Cho, hand-in-hand.

Hermione frowned, she was wishing desperately that she could be in Cho's place, but something soon turned her from these thoughts.

"What did he want?"

"He offered to help me with the golden egg," Harry replied to Ron.

"He shouldn't be doing that! He's one of the judges! And anyway, you've already worked it out – haven't you?" Hermione was in shock.

"Er... nearly," Harry lied.

"Well, I don't think Dumbledore would like it if he knew Bagman was trying to persuade you to cheat! I hope he's trying to help as much," Hermione added as she realized how unfair it was to Cedric.

"He's not, I asked," Harry informed.

"Who cares if Diggory's getting help?" Hermione frowned at Ron's words as she thought '_I do._'

"Those goblins didn't look very friendly," Hermione continued as she tried to change the subject before she said something she didn't want to. "What were they doing here?"

"Looking for Crouch, according to Bagman," Harry replied. "He's still ill. Hasn't been into work."

"Maybe Percy's poisoning him," Ron laughed. "Probably thinks if Crouch snuffs it he'll be made head of Department of International Magical Cooperation." Hermione looked at Ron in a disapproving way, but he seemed to ignore her as he snorted with laughter and raised his bottle to his mouth.

"Funny, goblins looking for Mr. Crouch... They'd normally deal with the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures," Hermione stated matter-of-factly.

"Crouch can speak loads of different languages, though," Harry reminded. "Maybe they need an interpreter."

"Worrying about poor 'ickle goblins, now, are you? Thinking of starting up S.P.U.G. or something? Society for the Protection of Ugly Goblins?" Ron's teasing wasn't amusing to Hermione she was about to yell at him, but she remained under composure.

"Ha, ha, ha. Goblins don't need protection. Haven't you been listening to what Professor Binns has been telling us about goblin rebellions?"

"No," Harry and Ron snorted in unison. It amazed Hermione that they could be so lacks about their school work.

"Well, they're quite capable of dealing with wizards," Hermione lectured. "They're very clever. They're not like house-elves, who never stick up for themselves."

"Uh-oh," Ron interrupted. He was staring at the door and Hermione was angry enough about being interrupted, but what she saw sent her through the roof. Rita Skeeter, the writer of that awful article about her and Harry and then Hagrid, had just walked in the door of The Three Broomsticks with her photographer.

Much to Hermione's annoyance, Rita bought drinks and sat down at a table nearby as she conversed with her photographer, Bozo, about Mr. Bagman. Apparently, Hermione wasn't the only one who was fed up with her. Harry spoke up in a very irritated tone.

"Trying to ruin someone else's life?"

"Harry! How lovely! Why don't you come and join-," Rita began, but Harry stopped her short.

"I wouldn't come near you with a ten-foot broomstick," he snarled. "What did you do that to Hagrid for, eh?"

"Our readers have a right to the truth, Harry. I am merely doing my-," Rita began again, but once more, Harry cut in on her.

"Who cares if he's half-giant? There's nothing wrong with him!" Rita seemed to be taken aback for a moment, and Hermione smiled at this, but Hermione's smile faded as Rita's reappeared and she opened her ugly crocodile-skin purse. Rita took out her quill and continued to speak in her annoying voice.

"How about giving me an interview about the Hagrid _you_ know, Harry? The man behind the muscles? You unlikely friendship and the reasons behind it. Would you call him a father substitute?" Hermione had had enough. Rita could pick on her and touching on Hagrid was aggravating enough, but she didn't need to go starting on Harry about his parents.

"You horrible woman! You don't care, do you, anything for a story, and anyone will do, won't they? Even Ludo Bagman-," Hermione shouted, but Rita stopped her, which only served to anger Hermione more.

"Sit down, you silly little girl, and don't talk about things you don't understand. I know things about Ludo Bagman that would make your hair curl... _not_ that it needs it-"

"Let's go," Hermione ordered quickly, "c'mon, Harry – Ron..." Ron and Harry followed Hermione out the door as she stormed past all the gawking people and out into the streets of Hogsmeade for fresh air that Hermione was more than grateful for. Hermione had been so angered in there, she could feel the heat in her face and on the back of her neck.

"She'll be after you next, Hermione," Ron informed.

"Let her try! I'll show her! Silly little girl, am I? Oh, I'll get her back for this. First Harry, then Hagrid...," Hermione hissed.

"You don't want to go upsetting Rita Skeeter," Ron warned, "I'm serious, Hermione, she'll dig up something on you-"

"My parents don't read the _Daily Prophet_. She can't scare me into hiding!" Hermione was showing her true Gryffindor spirit as she began to stock down the street, her destination unclear, but she knew she needed to find Hagrid. "And Hagrid isn't hiding anymore! He should _never_ have let that excuse for a human being upset him! Come _on_!"

Hermione began her search as she ran through the streets of Hogsmeade, only peering into windows for Hagrid's large figure. She had ran clear back up to the castle and was on her way to Hagrid's hut. When she got to the door, she shocked herself with the force upon which she used to knock on the door.

"Hagrid! Hagrid, that's enough! We know you're in there! Nobody cares if your mum was a giantess, Hagrid! You can't let that foul Skeeter woman do this to you! Hagrid, get out here, you're just being-," Hermione stopped here though, as the door she had been pounding on, moved from out of her striking range. "About t-," she was about to say, but she caught sight of who had opened the door.

"Good afternoon," Dumbledore greeted with a smile and a twinkle in his blue eyes. Hermione suddenly felt her rage shrink and her voice hide as she tried to speak up.

"We- er- we wanted to see Hagrid," Hermione explained timidly.

"Yes, I surmised as much," Dumbledore laughed. "Why don't you come in?" Hermione, Ron, and Harry did as they were told and went in to find Hagrid sitting at the table. He looked awful and it was obvious that he had been crying.

"Hi, Hagrid," Harry greeted.

"'Lo," Hagrid croaked.

"More tea, I think," Dumbledore suggested as he closed the door and summoning some tea to the Golden Trio. "Did you by chance hear what Miss Granger was shouting, Hagrid?" Hermione caught Ron snorting into his tea at these words, and it wanted to make her smile, but she refrained as she turned to Hagrid to hear him answer.

Hagrid said nothing and Hermione sighed as Dumbledore smiled and continued. While Hermione blushed as Ron looked at her and grinned from ear-to-ear.

"Hermione, Harry, and Ron still seem to want to know you, judging by the way they were attempting to break down the door," Dumbledore continued as he smiled wider as though about to laugh.

"Of course we still want to know you! You don't think anything that Skeeter cow- sorry, Professor," Harry added as he looked to Dumbledore.

"I have gone temporarily deaf and haven't any idea what you said, Harry," Dumbledore chuckled while staring at the ceiling and twiddling his thumbs.

"Er- right," Harry said as he tried not to laugh too. "I just mean- Hagrid, how could you think we'd care what that – woman – wrote about you?"

"Living proof of what I've been telling you, Hagrid," Dumbledore spoke up. "I have shown you the letters from the countless parents who remember you from their own days here, telling me in no uncertain terms that if I sacked you, they you have something to say about it-"

"Not all of 'em," Hagrid choked, "not all of 'em wan' me ter stay."

"Really, Hagrid, if you are holding out for universal popularity, I'm afraid you will be in this cabin a very long time," Dumbledore pointed out. "Now a week has passed since I became headmaster of this school when I haven't had a least one owl complaining about the way I run it. But what should I do? Barricade myself in my study and refuse to talk to anybody?" Hermione had a good idea of who that owl Dumbledore was talking about was from. Slytherins' parents.

"Yeh- yeh're not half-giant!"

"Hagrid, look what I've got for relatives! Look at the Dursleys!"

"An excellent point," Dumbledore exclaimed. Hermione wanted to burst out laughing, but she pressed her lips together and took to looking at the ceiling just as Dumbledore had done. "My own brother, Aberforth, was prosecuted for practicing inappropriate charms on a goat. It was all over the papers, but did Aberforth hide? No, he did not! He held his head high and went about his business as usual! Of course, I'm not entirely sure he can read, so that may not have been bravery..."

Hermione couldn't hold it in any longer, she pressed her hand to her face and began laughing, trying to make it look like she was coughing. Hermione noticed that Dumbledore, Ron, and Harry were staring at her now as Hagrid wiped his face, so she decided to speak up.

"Come back and teach, Hagrid. Please come back, we really miss you." This didn't seem to do anything, though. Hermione was afraid that nothing would persuade Hagrid, when suddenly Dumbledore rose from his chair.

"I refuse to accept your resignation, Hagrid, and I expect you back at work on Monday. You will join me for breakfast at eight-thirty in the Great Hall. No excuses. Good afternoon to you all." Hermione smiled as Dumbledore left the cabin. He truly was a wonderful headmaster, great problem solver, and even better friend.

It was then that Hagrid dissolved into tears and Hermione could do nothing but pat him on the arm and feel bad for him. She was glad though, when he suddenly spoke up in a hoarse voice.

"Great man, Dumbledore... great man..."

"Yeah, he is," Ron agreed. "Can I have on of these cakes, Hagrid?"

"Help yourself," Hagrid answered while Hermione shook her head. '_Just like Ron_' she thought in disbelief. "Ar, he's righ', o' course – yeh're all righ'... I bin stupid... my 'ol dad woulda bin ashamed o' the way I've bin behavin'... Never shown you a picture of my old dad, have I? Here..."

Hermione watched Hagrid get up and go to his dresser. He took out a picture and show them. It was of him and his father who looked like he was a normal wizard, but a very small one next to his good seven foot tall son.

"Tha' was taken jus' after I got inter Hogwarts," Hagrid informed. "Dad was dead chuffed... thought I migh' not be a wizard, see, 'cos me mum... well, anyway. 'Course, I never was great shakes at magic, really... but at least he never saw me expelled. Died, see, in my second year..."

Hermione frowned as she felt tears prick her eyes. She felt so bad for Hagrid. He was just a gentle half-giant and everyone was so unfair to him. He had lost his father, been wrongly accused and expelled, and then there was people like Rita Skeeter.

"Dumbledore was the one who stuck up for me after Dad went. Got me the gamekeeper job... trusts people, he does," Hagrid continued. "Gives 'em second chances... tha's what sets him apar' from other heads, see. He'll accept anyone at Hogwarts, s'long as they've got the talent. Knows people can turn out okay even if their families weren'... well... all tha' respectable. But some don' understand that. There's some who'd always hold it against yeh... that's some who'd even pretend they just had big bones rather than stand up an' say – I am what I am, an' I'm not ashamed. 'Never be ashamed,' my 'ol dad used ter say, 'there's some who'll hold it against you, but they're not worth bothering' with.' An' he was right. I've bin an idiot. I'm not botherin' with _her_ no more, I promise yeh that. Big bones... I'll give her big bones."

Hermione now got the feeling that this wasn't about Rita's article at all, and if it was, it was only just so. She had an inkling that this was about Madame Maxime and that night at the ball that Hagrid had told her about his giant-relations. Madame Maxime had denied being half-giant, which was totally absurd because it was obvious that she was in some way or another.

"Yeh know wha', Harry? When I firs' met you, you reminded me o' me a bit. Mum an' Dad gone, an' you was feelin' like yeh wouldn' fir in at Hogwarts, remember? Not sure yeh were really up to it... an' now look at yeh, Harry! School champion!"

Hermione smiled. She was glad that Harry and Hagrid had each other. It almost made her want to cry because it was so emotional and sentimental.

"Yeh know what I'd love, Harry? I'd love yeh ter win, I really would. It'd show 'em all... yeh don' have ter be pureblood ter do it. Yeh don' have ter be ashamed of what yeh are. It'd show 'em Dumbledore's the one who's got it righ', lettin' anyone in as long as they can do magic. How you doin' with that egg, Harry?"

"Great, really great," Harry replied. Hermione knew this was a lie, but she had felt bravery and pride spark up in her after what Hagrid had just said and she was glad that Harry said it like he did because he kept Hagrid happy and that feeling running happily through her.

"Tha's my boy... you show 'em. Harry, you show 'em. Beat 'em all." Hermione wanted now for Harry to win more than ever. She had forgotten all about Cedric and Viktor and hoped that Harry would win, just so that she could see Hagrid's pride restored and a smile like the one he had now, back on his whiskery face.

* * *

The next day, Hermione, Harry, and Ron sat in the back of the Charms class talking about how Harry had went to the prefect bathroom the night before like Cedric had directed him and worked out his clue. Hermione was very angry that Harry had waited this long to find out what it said, and being that that was the only thing he knew, it made her even more angry. But she soon had to push this thought aside as Harry began to inform them of a bit of a quarrel Snape and Moody had had when Harry got in trouble on his way back from the prefect bathroom. 

Harry told them how Moody had talked about a mark and how Snape grabbed his arm, and he told them about Snape suspecting him. Then how Moody had said that he and Professor Dumbledore were very interested in who had it out for Harry. Everything seemed very suspicious to Hermione. She couldn't quite figure out why, but something worried her about Snape.

Her worried didn't last the day though as she, Ron, and Harry began to try and figure out what Harry could do to be able to go underwater for the second task and stay underwater.

"Of course, the ideal solution would be for you to Transfigure yourself into a submarine or something," Hermione pointed out. "If only we'd done human Transfiguration already! But I don't think we start that until sixth year, and it can go badly wrong if you don't know what you're doing..."

"Yeah, I don't fancy walking around with a periscope sticking out of my head," Harry sighed. "I s'pose I could always attack someone in front of Moody; he might do it for me..."

"I don't think he'd let you choose what you wanted to be turned into, though," Hermione thought aloud. "No, I think your best chance is some sort of charm."

"But what?"

"I'm not sure," Hermione sighed as she, Ron, and Harry sat in the common room thinking.

"We've already said no to the Summoning Charm for the Aqua-Lung. What could we use now?"

"I really don't know, Harry," Hermione breathed in frustration. She had just known that this would happen. Here it was, time dwindling faster than sand through an hour glass, and Harry was scrambling to figure something out. She was sure Cedric had figured his out already, and Harry wouldn't be this far if it wasn't for Cedric.

Hermione soon reminded herself that Cedric's telling Harry what do was wrong because it was seeking or getting help, which was still against the rules as far as she knew. '_I'll just have to have a word with him_' Hermione thought as she watched the fire crackle away in the fireplace.


	18. Asleep for the Task

Chapter 18 – Asleep for the Task

Hermione was at her wit's end now as she sat in the library with Harry and Ron, a candle so close to her that it threatened to catch her hair on fire, and her nose so close to the book, she feared the words were rubbing off on it as she moved across the page. She had begun to nod off once or twice, she was thankful for the overly large stack of books in front of her though because it hid this from Harry.

She was twice as thankful for them earlier when Viktor had entered the library. He peered around, returned a book, and left with his head hung. Hermione hated to avoid him, but he was becoming possessive and obsessive.

He had complained about Cedric talking to her that day when they were in the library, and he had even questioned her on why she had been talking to him. He was worse than a little kid who thought that someone was going to take his favorite stuffed animal and give it to someone.

Hermione sighed, she was letting herself get off subject, but it was so hard to concentrate, and seemingly, she wasn't the only one that thought so. Ron grunted from behind his stack of equally high books and Hermione heard him slam a book shut as he spoke up.

"I don't reckon it can be done. There's nothing. _Nothing_. Closest was that thing to dry up puddles and ponds, that Drought Charm, but that was nowhere near powerful enough to drain the lake," he sighed in frustration.

"There must be something," Hermione encouraged, she didn't want them to give up hope and leave Harry in the dark to look like a fool the next day. That's the last thing he needed. "They'd never have set a task that was undoable," she continued.

"They have. Harry, just go down to the lake tomorrow, right," Ron advised, "stick your head in, yell at the merepeople to give back whatever they've nicked, and see if they chuck it out. Best you can do, mate."

Hermione wasn't finding Ron's lack of enthusiasm and giving up amusing at this point as she became angered with the books around her. Books had always told her what she wanted to know, what was wrong now? Why wouldn't they just give her a simple charm Harry could use?

"There's a way of doing it! There just has to be!"

"I know what I should have done," Harry sighed as he too gave up and began to rest his head on the book he was buried in. "I should've learned to be an Animagus like Sirius."

"Yeah, you could've turned into a goldfish any time you wanted!" Ron's words were hardly helpful to them, and Harry was getting just as bad.

"Or a frog," Harry mumbled.

"It takes years to become an Animagus, and then you have to register yourself and everything. Professor McGongall told us, remember... you've got to register yourself with the Improper Use of Magic Office... what animal you become, and your markings," Hermione informed. "So you don't abuse it..."

"Hermione, I was joking," Harry muttered. "I know I haven't got a chance of turning into a frog by tomorrow morning..."

"Oh, this is no use," Hermione grumbled as she slammed shut yet another book and wished that she could begin to bang her head off the table. She was getting frustrated and Harry and Ron's readiness to give up was killing her. What bothered her even more was the ridiculous things that books seemed to contain at the moment. "Who on earth wants to make their nose hair grow in ringlets?"

"I wouldn't mind," Fred Weasley laughed. "Be a talking point, wouldn't it?" Hermione hadn't expected an answer, possible a laugh, but not an answer, and this seemed to aggravate her further. She groaned and dropped her head onto a book as she listened to Ron and the twins converse.

"What are you two doing here?"

"Looking for you," answered George. "McGonagall wants you, Ron. And you, Hermione." This caught her attention and made her sit bolt upright. What could McGonagall want with her?

"Why?"

"We're supposed to take you down to her office," George replied to Hermione. Hermione turned to Ron who looked as confused as her at what was going on, the both of them in turn looking to Harry who was equally as puzzled.

"We'll meet you back in the common room," Hermione said to Harry as she and Ron got up. "Bring as many of these books as you can, okay?"

"Right," Harry answered. Hermione sighed and left the library, she followed Fred and George with Ron at her side. Apparently he had been thinking the same as her as he spoke up.

"Do you think McGonagall's going to tell us off for helping Harry out?"

"I'm not sure, Ron... as Fred and George, they might know," Hermione suggested nervously.

"Hey, Fred, what does McGonagall want?"

"I'm not real sure," Fred sighed unknowingly. "She just said to bring you to her office and then go back to the common room." Hermione was sure now that this couldn't be good. She feared reaching McGonagall's class, but it came sooner than later while Fred and George left them outside with a 'good luck' and a nod.

"Well, no sense in delaying this," Hermione sighed as she stood up straight and tall and looked to Ron for reassurance, but the nervous look on his face did anything but reassure her.

She swallow back her fear, nodded and nudged Ron, and began to walk into the room with him close behind her. McGonagall was sitting at her desk, a pot of tea steaming as she transfigured two mice into tea cups.

"Miss Granger – Mr. Weasley... have a seat," McGonagall said as he nodded to two chairs in front of her desk. Hermione and Ron gave each other nervous looks and sat down in the chairs, though slowly and reluctantly. "So-"

"Professor, we can explain. We weren't really trying to tell Harry what the egg meant or how to win, we were just trying to help him find a spell, he found out the rest on his own," Ron babbled before McGonagall could say another word. "Please don't punis-"

"Mr. Weasley! I'm not punishing anyone," McGonagall interrupted with a half-laughing sigh. "Professor Dumbledore just wants to see you two. He should be here any moment with the other two."

'_Other two what? What is she on about?_' Hermione had no sooner wondered this when she was interrupted by McGonagall handing her and Ron a cup of tea. Hermione and Ron gratefully took the cups and began to sip from them. They had no sooner finished their tea when Dumbledore entered. He was accompanied by Cho Chang and a little blond haired girl.

"Good evening all," he greeted. "Miss Delacour – Miss Chang... take a seat next to Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger, if you both will, please?"

'_Delacour? That must be Fleur's sister_' Hermione thought as she watched the little girl take a seat next to her. '_But what would Fleur's sister be doing here?_'

"Now, I bet you all are wondering why you are here," Dumbledore began as McGonagall gave Cho and the little blond haired girl both a cup of steaming tea. "You are here because the four of you are part of the second task. Our champions must retrieve the thing that they would miss the most from the merepeople in the lake... and low and behold, you four, are the things they would miss the most."

'_Who would be missing me? Harry? No, Ron's here_' Hermione reasoned. '_Not Fleur because I don't know here and frankly, we don't get along, besides the fact, her sister is here. Cho is here for Cedric... Viktor!_' Hermione watched as Dumbledore pulled out his wand and continued to speak.

"Now, what I'm going to do is put you all into a very deep sleep for this task. It will help the champions in dealing with you when the retrieve you from the bottom of the la-"

"But I can't swim," the little girl protested.

"Miss Delacour, calm down, please," Dumbledore chuckled. "I assure you that in this sleep, you will be able to breathe underwater and you will not have to stay down there. The merepeople will return you – contrary to the champions' belief – and no harm shall be done to you. So, who's first?"

Everyone looked around for a moment and Hermione took a deep breath as she stood up and stepped forward.

"I will be, sir," Hermione spoke softly as she saw Ron stand up next to her.

"Very well, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said as he pointed his wand at her and she soon became surrounded by a light blue and lilac mist with what looked like silver glitter in it. It was warm and breezy and Hermione felt herself drifting in and out of deep sleep. She was soon out cold and fell forward, Ron grabbing her by the arms and placing her in a chair just before she hit the floor.

* * *

"Well, all our champions are ready for the second task, which will start on my whistle," Ludo Bagman bellowed with his magnified voice. "They have precisely an hour to recover what has been taken from them. On the count of three, then. One... two... _three_!" 

A whistle sounded and Cedric pulled out his wand and did a Bubble-Head Charm. As he saw Krum doing a transformation to turn himself into a shark. Then as Cedric dove into the water, he saw that Harry had gills and webbed hands and feet. Cedric wondered for a moment as Harry passed him, what charm or spell he used, but Cedric soon stopped wondering as he saw Krum and Fleur pass him as well.

It wasn't long before Cedric passed up Fleur who had got her robes caught by some grindylows. He made a mental note to stay a good ways above the weeds as he watched her struggle. He thought about helping her and then remembered that it was wrong for him to work with her. He would just have to push his gentleman air aside for now and move on to the task at hand.

Cedric had been swimming for about ten minutes now when he noticed that he had lost sight of both Harry and Krum. Cedric had been closer to Krum and couldn't quite figure out where he had went. Cedric stopped for a moment and looked around, half expecting Krum to try and burst the bubble around Cedric's head, but it never happened.

Cedric remembered that he was inside an hour time limit, and went swimming off once more at top speed. He swam for another good fifteen minutes before finally spotting Harry who was fighting with some merepeople.

It seemed that Harry was trying to get to Hermione, Cho, and some little blond haired girl. Harry had a red head in his arms, Cedric guessed that this must be Ron Weasley. As Cedric neared, Harry turned to look at him as though pleading for help, but Cedric too soon found himself in a bind as he stopped to talk to Harry.

"Got lost! Fleur and Krum're coming now," Cedric mouthed through his bubble. Cedric watched Harry nod and then Cedric turned to the remaining three hostages, but some internal conflict arose in him. Who was he supposed to take?

'_Wait_' he thought '_Why am I wondering that? Cho is my girlfriend, not Hermione, but I want terribly to save her as well. Who is saving her if Harry has Ron and I've got Cho? Krum?_'

Cedric realized that he was wasting time and finally decided that no matter what, Hermione was coming back, that they were just friends, and the thought of Cho's angry with him if he didn't take her made him choose. He pulled a knife from his pocket and cut the ropes that bound Cho as she hung there with her head resting on Hermione's shoulder while bubbles streamed from her mouth.

He started to swim upward with her, but something in him was nagging at him to turn around and take Hermione, too. '_I can only take one_' he kept telling himself, but it was no use, his heart wouldn't listen. It seemed to beat in a rhythm that sounded and felt so much like the syllables to her name. Her... mi... one... Her... mi... one.

He shook his head and realized that he had stopped. He looked around and saw grindylows reaching out for Cho's ankles and wrists. He pulled her closer to him and looked back toward where he had come from to see Krum's half-shark form coming toward him with Hermione in his arms.

Cedric breathed a sigh of relief and then realized that if he didn't get moving, Krum was going to beat him. Cedric kicked his legs furiously and made it to the surface with Cho who awoke upon arrival at the surface of the water. He helped her out of the water and the both of them were immediately grabbed up by Madam Pomfrey who wrapped them in thick blankets and poured a hot solution down their throats.

At least she tried to get some poured down Cedric's throat, but the bubble around his head was still in the way. He pulled out his wand and removed the bubble. Madam Pomfrey didn't wait long before giving him the potion. She wasn't fussing over them for too long, though as Krum and Hermione became her next targets.

They were just emerging from the lake with the help of Dumbledore and Karkaroff when Bagman ushered Cedric and Cho to the judge's table and out of the way. Cedric watched Madam Pomfrey wrap Hermione up and give her some of the same potion while Karkaroff fussed over Krum. Karkaroff seemed to be more of a hindrance and Madam Pomfrey made this clear when she shoved him away.

"Cedric, you were more than brave," Cho sighed as she wrapped her arms around his neck and turned his attention to her. Cedric sputtered against her wet hair and smiled awkwardly as he noticed Krum now checking on Hermione. It was nice to know that she was in good hands, but for some reason, Cedric felt that his hands could care for her better.

When Cho let go, she was soon engaged in watching the lake for Harry. Cedric saw this as an opportune time to talk to Hermione. He wanted to chat with her about anything so badly at that moment that he felt he would explode if he didn't get to. He looked around for her, but didn't see her anywhere. Where was she?

Then he spotted her, she was across the lake shore with Viktor. They were whispering about something, well, Viktor was whispering something to her, but she seemed distracted slightly with watching the lake for Harry and Ron.

Cedric waited patiently as he watched her, but he couldn't make out what they were saying, though he tried to hard to read their lips. What they were saying, though was something that Cedric probably didn't want to hear in the first place.

"Herm-own-ninny, are you doing anything this summer?"

"I don't think so, Viktor," Hermione replied as she let her eyes dart to the corner of her eye every few seconds to look at the lake's surface. "Why?"

"I vas vondering if you vood like to come visit me in Bulgaria?" Hermione immediately became flustered by his question and felt herself blush. She looked at him seriously, but found that it gave her butterflies so she turned her sights to the judges. When she did, though, she noticed someone watching her.

Cedric Diggory seemed to be watching her intently as though he didn't trust Viktor, or like he was waiting on her to return to that spot. She soon found that this too made her nervous and she quickly turned her gaze to the ground as Viktor began to speak once more.

"Please, Herm-own-ninny. I haff never felt this vay about any other girl. You make me feel something strange and vonderful all at once," Viktor explained awkwardly.

"I'm flattered by that, surely you must understand that, but I'm just not sure at the moment, okay? I will let you know and thank you so much for the offer," Hermione spoke quickly before returning to the judges, Viktor close behind her.

"Hello, Hermione," Cedric greeted as Hermione neared him. She felt her heart begin to race faster than when Viktor had been talking to her only seconds ago. She smiled bashfully and nodded to him politely before stopping next to him to talk.

"You did magnificently, Cedric," Hermione congratulated.

"I did? I wouldn't think you would know," Cedric teased. "You were asleep for the whole task."

"Yes, but still," Hermione said with a bit of red creeping into her cheeks. "You were the first back and you did wonderfully with that Bubble-Head Charm."

"How did you know that's what I-"

"I saw you removing the bubble when I got out of the lake," Hermione explained.

"Oh, clever observation," Cedric laughed. He had forgotten that she had been getting out of the lake as Madam Pomfrey was giving him that potion. He began to somewhat panic now. He couldn't think of anything to talk about and Krum was obviously trying to stir Hermione's attention away from Cedric and back to himself. "I wondering what's taking Harry so long?"

"I'm not real sure," Hermione sighed. "I'm starting to worry, though. Do you know what he used to go into the lake? I mean, I honestly hope that the charm he used didn't wear off."

"I don't think it would," Cedric assured her as he mentally kicked himself. '_Great one, Ced, talk about something that strikes up worry in her. Real smooth_' he cursed. "Whatever he used gave him webbed hands and flippers for feet... and gills, too."

"Really?"

"Yeah, it was pretty smart looking actually." Hermione seemed impressed, and Cedric was just happy to see that she wasn't looking worried anymore.

"Herm-own-ninny," Viktor spoke up. "Vood you like to go stand closer to the lake?"

"Um... yeah, sure," Hermione replied as she unknowingly let Viktor steal back her attention, but just as the two of them got ready to leave, Madam Pomfrey came over with Cho.

"You guys should be up in the castle. You're lucky I'm letting you watch for Mr. Potter... and that's even worse, he's going to need a really big dose of Pepper-Up Potion," Madam Pomfrey complained as she pulled Cedric's blanket tighter around him. He smiled at her as she touched her hand to his forehead and then rushed over to Hermione and Viktor.

Cedric watched Madam Pomfrey brush back Hermione's hair and feel her forehead. He gave a genuine smile as he saw Hermione roll her eyes. She truly was beautiful to him with all her independence and brilliance. She was a true match for him, it was too bad that he was with Cho and Hermione was with Krum.

"There's Harry!" Cedric jumped a little as Cho broke him from his reverie. Cedric turned to the lake and saw Harry and the youngest Weasley boy, Ron, pulling the little blond haired girl who had been the fourth hostage out of the lake.

"I'll be right back, Viktor," Hermione called as she ran off toward Harry with Madam Pomfrey, but Madam Pomfrey wasn't about to let her go as she turned and gave Hermione a crippling look.

"No you don't... You stay right there, Miss Granger," Madam Pomfrey instructed as she rushed off to Harry with a blanket. Hermione watched impatiently with Viktor constantly trying to attain her attention as Madam Pomfrey ushered Harry over to the others.

"Harry, well done! You did it," Hermione exclaimed, "you found out how all by yourself!"

"Well – yeah, that's right," Harry said as pride rose in him. Cedric watched from a distance and as he did, he finally saw just how jealous Viktor was of any guy who talked to Hermione, not just him.

"You haff a vater beetle in your hair, Herm-own-ninny," Viktor pointed out as he tried to pull the beetle gently from Hermione's hair, but she just swatted his hand away mindlessly out of annoyance. Cedric tried not to laugh as he turned to to Cho who was glaring at him slightly.

"What?"

"I think we need to talk later," Cho said somewhat angrily as she rolled her eyes and then turned to Bagman as he announced the points for the second task.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have reached our decision. Merchieftainess Muscus has told us exactly what happened at the bottom of the lake, and we have therefore decided to award marks out of fifty for each of the champions," Ludo Bagman boomed, "as follows... Fleur Delacour, though she demonstrated excellent use of the Bubble-Head Charm, was attacked by grindylows as she approached her goal, and failed to retrieve her hostage. We award her twenty-five points."

There was applause and Cedric now felt sorry that he hadn't gone back to help Fleur when she got stuck at those grindylows. He could have at least helped her out of there and she could have at least reached her hostage. He sighed and went on listening to Bagman though as Fleur seemed to accept that fact by saying she deserved zero points.

"Cedric Diggory, who also used the Bubble-Head Charm, was first to return with his hostage, though he returned one minutes outside the time limit of an hour. We therefore award him forty-seven points."

Cedric smiled as an enormous round of applause was given to him. He looked to Cho who was smiling at him with glowing features and he felt his face flush a bit. Cedric then looked to Hermione who nodded encouragingly and continued to clap with the rest.

"Viktor Krum used an incomplete form of Transfiguration, which was nevertheless effective, and was second to return with his hostage. We award him forty points," Bagman continued.

Cedric clapped along with the rest, but he felt that it wasn't needed because Karkaroff seemed to be clapping hard enough for the whole crowd. Applause died down sooner than Karkaroff seemed to have liked, and Bagman went on to announce the last score.

"Harry Potter used gillyweed to great effect. He returned last, and well outside the time limit of an hour. However, the Merchieftainess informs us that Mr. Potter was first to reach the hostages, and that the delay in his return was due to his determination to return all hostages to safety, not merely his own," Ludo roared.

Cedric felt that Harry was a true hero as he saw how Hermione and Cho looked at the Boy-Who-Lived, and Cedric wished that he could have Hermione look at him like that as well. Cedric then turned to Cho, seeing that she was still fixated on Harry. She smiled at him in a way that she used to smile at Cedric, but she just didn't do that anymore. It was like watching a fire be rekindled after a long, windy night. This is something that made Cedric feel that this 'talk' he and Cho were going to have later, was not going to be anything good.

Cedric had been so caught up in his thoughts, though that he had almost missed Harry's score. Cedric quickly broke away from his thoughts, figuring he would save those for later when he was in the hospital wing under Madam Pomfrey's care, and he turned back to Bagman who was glaring at Karkaroff.

"Mr. Potter's score is forty-five points."

That meant that he was now tied with Cedric. This should be interesting. Cedric would have liked it better if Viktor was tied with him because then he could prove that he was better when he beat Viktor, but Harry was a better opponent Cedric convinced himself as he continued to listen to Bagman.

"The third and final task will take place at dusk on the twenty-fourth of June. The champions will be notified of what is coming precisely one month beforehand. Thank you all for your support of the champions."

That was that then. Cedric wouldn't have to worry about anything until June twenty-fourth, or did he?


	19. Revenge & Romance

Chapter 19 – Revenge & Romance

February ended with quite a bit of excitement from the Gryffindor end as Ron told and retold his story of what happened during the second task. Hermione had got so fed up with his constant changing and retelling of the story that she had snapped at him one afternoon in March at lunch.

"I could have taken those mere-idiots any time I wanted," Ron gloated as he told his story for the umpteenth time.

"What were you going to do, snore at them?" Hermione's words came out harshly and she soon felt somewhat bad for them. It wasn't really Ron that was bothering her, but the constant tauntings of the other students. They kept teasing her about being the thing that Viktor Krum would miss the most.

She was so fed up with it that she was ready to scream and she really didn't want to see Viktor any time soon either. She was extremely glad though when an owl arrived with a letter from Sirius for Harry. It was a change of subject and something to take her mind off of the stupidity around her.

They read the letter which told them to meet him at stile at the end of the road that lead out of Hogsmeade during their next weekend visit at two o'clock. It would appear that he was also very hungry as well because he had told them to bring as much food as they could, or from what Hermione concluded, Sirius was planning to stay for a while and needed a stash.

"He hasn't come back to Hogsmeade?"

"It looks like it," Hermione replied to Ron's incredulously exclamation, "doesn't it?"

"I can't believe him," Harry grumbled angrily, "if he's caught..."

"Made it so far, thought, hasn't he? And it's not like the place is swarming with dementors anymore," Ron pointed out.

"Ron's right, Harry," Hermione added as Harry folded up the letter and stuffed it away in his pocket. "But in the meantime, let's not think about that. What we should do is get to double Potions."

With that, the Golden Trio left lunch and went to their last lesson before dinner. Things were going quite well because Harry seemed to be happier, but they didn't last for long as the trio entered the dungeon and were met by Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy, and her Slytherin girls.

"There they are, there they are!" Hermione didn't know what Pansy was giggling about, but as the group of slimy Slytherins broke apart, Pansy spoke up to Hermione. "You might find something to interest you in there, Granger!"

Hermione took the magazine, _Witch Weekly_, that Pansy shoved in her hands, and continued into the Potions classroom with Harry and Ron. The trio took their seat in the back and Hermione waited on pins and needles for an opportune moment to look through the magazine. Finally, Snape turned his back and Hermione began to search frantically in the magazine.

She finally came to Harry's picture over a neat, curly title of: _Harry Potter's Secret Heartache_. Hermione wasn't quite sure what this was about, but she had a feeling that it was going to be extremely ridiculous because her eyes caught sight of the article's author, Rita Skeeter.

_A boy like no other, perhaps – yet a boy suffering all the usual pangs of adolescence, _writes Rita Skeeter_. Deprived of love since the tragic demise of his parents, fourteen-year-old Harry Potter thought he had found solace in his steady girlfriend at Hogwarts, Muggle-born Hermione Granger. Little did he know that he would shortly be suffering yet another emotional blow in life already littered with personal loss._

The article made Hermione's blood boiled as it continued on. Things weren't looking good and Hermione was really starting to despise Rita for all her lies and untruthfulness.

_Miss Granger, a plain but ambitious girl, seems to have a taste for famous wizards that Harry alone cannot satisfy. Since the arrival at Hogwarts of Viktor Krum, Bulgarian Seeker and hero of the last World Quidditch Cup, Miss Granger has been toying with both boys' affections. Krum, who is openly smitten with the devious Miss Granger, has already invited her to visit him in Bulgaria over the summer holidays, and insists that he has "never felt this way about any other girl."_

_However, it might not be Miss Granger's doubtful natural charm that have captured these unfortunate boys' interest._

And here was the point where Hermione felt that the Skrewt dung would hit the fan. She looked up only for a moment to see what Snape was doing, still writing ingredients on the board, and then she returned to the article.

"_She's really ugly," says Pansy Parkinson, a pretty and vivacious fourth-year student, "but she'd be well up to making a Love Potion, she's quite brainy. I think that's how she's doing it."_

_Love Potions are, of course, banned at Hogwarts, and no doubt Albus Dumbledore will want to investigate these claims. In the meantime, Harry Potter's well-wishers must hope that, next time, he bestows his heart on a worthier candidate._

It was more than Hermione thought; more than ridiculous. It was idiocy and ignorance at its absolute most. Hermione figured that there was no sense in getting angry or upset over it, she did figure however that a good use of that energy would be used on hoping that people didn't actually believe that.

"I told you! I _told_ you not to annoy Rita Skeeter! She's made you out to be some sort of- of scarlet woman!" Up until that point, Hermione had been looking somewhat shocked and astonished at the thought of what people who say if the actually believed that, but Ron's words were just too funny to her.

"_Scarlet woman?_" Hermione was in fits of giggles, she just couldn't help herself but Ron didn't seem to think it funny as he tinged at the ears.

"It's what my mum calls them," he answered bashfully.

"If that's the best Rita can so, she's losing her touch," Hermione said determinedly. "What a pile of old rubbish." Hermione tossed aside the magazine and looked over at the Slytherins who seemed a bit disappointed that Hermione had been giggling. "There's something funny, though," Hermione spoke up a little while later as she sat there working on their potion. "How could Rita Skeeter have known...?"

"Known what? You _haven't_ been mixing up Love Potions, have you?"

"Don't be stupid," Hermione snapped at Ron. "No, it's just... how did she know Viktor asked me to visit him over the summer?"

"What?" Ron dropped his pestle and stared at Hermione as she blushed and avoided his eyes.

"He asked me right after he's pulled me out of the lake. After he got rid of his shark's head," Hermione explained. "Madam Pomfrey gave us both blankets and then he sort of pulled me away from the judges so they wouldn't hear, and he said, if I wasn't doing anything over the summer, would I like to-"

"And what did you say?" Hermione ignored Ron's teeth-gritted, growling question and went on as though speaking her thoughts aloud.

"And he _did_ say he's never felt the same way about anyone else, but how could Rita Skeeter have heard him? She wasn't there... or was she? Maybe she _has_ got an Invisibility Cloak; maybe she sneaked onto the grounds to watch the second task..."

"And what did you say?" Ron seemed even angrier now that she had ignored him the first time, so she chose not to ignore him this time and began the careful process of answering.

"Well, I was too busy seeing whether you and Harry were okay to-"

"Fascinating though your social life undoubtedly is, Miss Granger," Snape interrupted, "I must ask you not to discuss it in my class. Ten points from Gryffindor." Snape then snatched up the copy of _Witch Weekly_ from the chair beside Hermione and continued. "Ah... reading magazines under the table as well? A further ten points from Gryffindor... oh, but of course... Potter has to keep up with his press clippings..."

Hermione had been determined not to let the article bother her, not only for herself, but for Harry and Viktor as well. Now though, she wasn't so sure as Snape began to read the article aloud between the Slytherin laughter. It had been the worst ten minutes of Hermione's life, and when Snape was done, he made matters worse. He moved Harry to the front of the class and Hermione next to Pansy Parkinson while Ron stayed put.

Hermione watched from her new seat as Snape seemingly harassed Harry. Hermione could tell from there, that whatever Snape was saying, it wasn't good because Hermione could see Harry getting angry. Things seemed to be getting nasty when Karkaroff knocked and entered the dungeon.

'_Curious_' Hermione thought '_Why's he here?_' Hermione finished her potion while watching Karkaroff and Snape out of the corner of her eye as they stood near Harry in a bit of an argument. Hermione had no idea what was going on, but little did she know that what they were talking about and the thing that Karkaroff was trying to show Snape would affect her later down the road in a very big way.

* * *

The next day, Hermione, Ron, and Harry went into Hogsmeade and to the stile at the end of the road at two o'clock just like they were directed, and sure enough, the met up with Sirius in his dog form. He led them to a cave where he sat eating and talking with them. 

They learned many things while they were there. Like Barty Crouch, Jr. was a Death Eater, why Sirius returned, that strange things were happening, and little tidbits like that. Once they had finished talking, they realized that it was in fact time for them to go and the returned up to the castle for dinner.

Hermione was on her way up to Gryffindor Tower with Harry and Ron after dinner, when Viktor stopped her and pulled her just outside the castle for a private talk. She wasn't quite sure what he wanted, but she told Ron and Harry that she would catch up with them, for them to go on without her.

"What is it, Viktor?"

"Herm-own-ninny, are you dating Harry Potter?"

"What!" Hermione was in complete shock. "You don't honestly believe that article by that awful woman, Rita Skeeter, do you?"

"No, I don't, but I'm not sure. You and him seem very involved and I vas vondering if you vere more interested in him than in me," Viktor explained.

"Never, Viktor. Harry is just my friend... I help him from time to time and that's all there is to it. Harry's like a brother to me, in fact," Hermione half laughed. The thought of this conversation seemed so stupid to her, but something didn't seem to set right with Viktor, especially when she laughed.

"I'm not laughing, Herm-own-ninny. I really feel for you... I don't vant to haff to vorry if you are vith Potter," Viktor said seriously. Hermione felt that he was a little too serious in fact, and she didn't like it one bit.

"Listen, I've done told you that Harry and I are just friends and for that matter, so are you and I." Viktor opened his mouth to protest at this, but Hermione cut him off. "I don't want to hear anymore about it, Viktor. This is ridiculous, and if you don't mind, I'm going upstairs to my common room to read a book. Now, if you'll excuse me."

With that, Hermione turned her back on him and walked away into the castle. She stocked the whole way up to the tower and wasn't at all happy until she sat down in a large, comfy armchair in the common room. She had no sooner sat down and gotten comfortable when people began to ask her questions.

"Hey, Hermione, what did Krum want?"

"None of your business, Ron," Hermione replied without even looking up at him. She began to read the book that Cedric had gotten her for Christmas, and she was once again interrupted.

"Hermione!"

"Hermione!" Hermione looked up to see Parvati and Lavender coming across the common room toward her. "Tell Lavender that this is my skir-"

"Well, tell her that this is my bracelet," Lavender barked.

"I don't care whose things they are, I'm not either of your mothers – thank Merlin – and I'm sick of settling stupid, petty fights like this between you two," Hermione hissed as she closed her book and shot out of her chair.

"Well," Parvati grumbled as she looked completely scandalized and turned on her heel to stock off to the girls' dorm.

"Harry, let me borrow your Invisibility Cloak," Hermione demanded firmly as she walked over to where Harry was playing Wizard's Chess with Ron.

"Where are you going?"

"Somewhere where I can read in peace," Hermione yelled over her shoulder to Ron as Harry she followed Harry to the boys' dorm stairs to get the cloak.

"Here you go, Hermione," Harry said a few minutes later as he descended the stairs and handed her the cloak. She walked to the portrait hole and threw the cloak on before going out, book tucked under her arm and her wand clutched tight in her hand.

Hermione made her way down the corridor, not real sure where she would go when an idea struck her. She would go to the Astronomy Tower. Hardly anyone ever went there, and it was quite, high above the noise of the school, not to mention the peaceful breeze of the night.

She hurried along the corridor to the tower and up into the upper most room, just short of going out onto the roof. She sat down against the wall, took off the cloak, lit the end of her wand, and began to read. She wasn't sure how long she had been reading, but she was one chapter four when she heard footsteps on the Astronomy Tower stairs.

She panicked and put out her wand as she threw the cloak over her and waited to see who was there. She hoped that they wouldn't walk over toward her and trip on her, then she would be in big trouble, but she relaxed a little when she saw who it was.

A wand light appeared and the person holding the wand was lit faintly by its light. It was Cedric. He seemed troubled and the look on his face was anything but happy. Hermione contemplated staying hid, and she thought that if she were in his position, she wouldn't want anyone sitting there secretly listening and watching her. So, she quietly removed the cloak, put away her wand, laid the book on the floor, and stood up.

"Hello, Cedric," Hermione greeted softly from across the room. Cedric jumped at the sound of her voice and threw his wand light onto her. She shielded her eyes from the light as he squinted at her to see who it was.

"Hermione?"

"Yes, it's me," she laughed.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'd be more than happy to tell you if you would lower your wand, sir," she joked.

"Oh, yeah, sorry about that," Cedric apologized as he lower the lighted tip of his wand and Hermione straightened up. She crossed the room and sat down on the floor where her book and cloak were and looked up to Cedric who sat down next to her.

"I'm here for the simple fact that it's the quietest part of the castle and I was quite interested in this wonderful book," she explained sheepishly as she held the book up.

"That's the one that I got you for Christmas," Cedric laughed. "So, do you really like it?"

"I love it... the perfect fairy tale romance with a magical twist," Hermione sighed dreamily. "Now, if only guys like that truly existed," she added with a giggle. Catching Cedric's amused eye, Hermione recomposed herself and looked at him seriously before continuing to speak. "So what about you, what are you doing here?"

"Cho and I had another row," Cedric admitted. "Ever since the second task, she's been more than grouchy and she always seems to pick a fight over the smallest thing."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Hermione lied. Really, she was hoping for a break-up between the two, no matter how wrong it was for her to wish this.

"I really should have saved you instead of her when we were at the bottom of the lake back in the second task," Cedric thought aloud.

"You didn't second think it then, don't second think saving your girlfriend now. She means more to you... you would miss her more than me if we were gone," Hermione assured him.

Cedric said nothing as he turned his head and looked at her reassuring smile. He loved her smile, even when it was at it's least, he loved it. That's when a little voice inside his head spoke up louder than any time it had before, even when it had told him to ask Cho out. '_Tell her about what you were thinking at the bottom of the lake... TELL HER YOU LIKE- NO LOVE HER!_'

Cedric shook his head and looked away from her. This caused Hermione's smile to fade and her heart to sink a little. He wasn't looking at her any longer and she bit her bottom lip frantically as she searched for a way to ask what was wrong.

"You're wrong," he mumbled before she could say anything.

"What?"

"I did second think myself down there in the lake. I saw Cho first and I was going to take her, but then I saw whose shoulder her head was resting on and I didn't know what to do. I knew I couldn't take two hostages and I knew that if I took you then there would be trouble so I reluctantly took Cho," Cedric explained.

"Are- are you... _serious_?"

"Does it look like I'm lying?" For the first time within that moment, he looked back at her and it seemed to stop her breath at her throat. She shivered at the way his eyes seemed to search hers for something.

The air became tense and heavy with an unknown essence. Hermione shivered again and Cedric turned himself to face her. She didn't dare look away from her though her mind was wildly beating for a way out of this. '_This is wrong, this is wrong_' her brain screamed, but for every shout that her brain made, her heart beat twice as fast and ten times louder than the shout.

"Cedric, I-," Hermione didn't know what to say. She what? Then she knew as she thought about it. She wanted to kiss him and at that moment, that unknown essence in the air became recognizable. It was a passionate hunger that only two people who were in love could share and make stir around them like Cedric and Hermione were at that point in time.

He leaned forward, neither daring to speak or look away from the other. His eyes left hers only for a moment as they traveled down her face to her lips. She realized then how dry her mouth was as she swallowed back all fear and leaned forward a bit while tilting her head slightly to the side.

She stopped as began to doubt herself, she had never kissed a guy before. Not even Viktor, this was her first. Then she realized that she wouldn't want her first to be any other way. Here she was in a quiet tower of her school, the only lights were from Cedric's forgotten wand, the moonlight that came in the window, and the distant flicker of the torches that lit up the stairs of the tower.

And what made it better was that it was Cedric. A knight in shining armor if ever there was one, a complete gentleman, or at least the best you could get. The dream guy of most ever girl in the school, and most of all, Hermione's own secret crush. If only she knew that he too had liked her like she liked him. At that very moment even, his thoughts were along the same lines as her own.

Cedric couldn't keep his heart from beating. It was pounding wildly, he could hear it in his ears and the world had seemed to come to a complete halt. There was no time, no other people but him and her, and nothing that could stop him. Not even if Cho came walking into the tower, he would just kiss Hermione in front of her. He had waited for this almost all year and it was finally here.

Both had been so wrapped up in their thoughts, that they hadn't realized just how close they were. Centimeters away, the breath of the other dancing upon each other's lips. At any second, their lips would touch and passion would explode around them. Closer even now, she could smell him, a sweet and intoxicating scent of a woody cinnamon mixed with a light pine needle fragrance that tingled her nose.

She smiled as she closed her eyes and breathed it in deep. This breath was her last as her own. His lips met hers in a gentle brushing touch that lasted only five seconds, but before they even got an inch apart, both were moving back in for another kiss. This time the kiss was deeper and lasted longer.

She parted her lips as they pulled away the second time and this left an opportunity for him to slide his tongue slowly into her mouth. She giggled inwardly as his tongue danced with her own in a circular tango before retreating back into his own mouth. Their lips parted for the third time and Hermione opened her eyes to see him staring at her lovingly with his deep ocean eyes.

He was totally enraptured by her. Her sweet vanilla sugar scent engulfed him and her velvet breath warmed his skin. Her lips had been so soft, like the finest silk or the newly bloomed petals of a pale pink rose. He smiled as she opened her eyes and he saw them sparkling happy in all their splendor. He loved her eyes when they glittered like that, it was like watching diamonds glitter in the dark walls of a mine shaft.

Neither dared speak even now. They just moved closer to each other, Cedric wrapping his arms around Hermione and Hermione resting her head on his slightly muscular shoulder. There had never been such bliss in their lives such as the one they were sharing now with the other. There couldn't be anything wrong with this feeling, it was too good, like it was meant to be.


	20. Caught

Chapter 20 - Caught

The next day, Hermione was quite happy, though she had to hide it from Harry and Ron because she didn't want to say anything to anyone just yet. For both her and Cedric's sakes. For her because she didn't need more guys on her list, there was already Harry and Viktor and many were beginning to suspect Ron now. She also didn't want to say anything because she was sure that Cedric was still dating Cho.

"Not for long," Hermione giggled as she climbed out of bed. She was still sleepy, but she was too happy to care. She and Cedric hadn't gotten back to their common rooms until four o'clock that morning. Hermione had insisted on walking under the Invisibility Cloak while Cedric walked her to the Gryffindor Tower.

He, on the other hand, could not get in trouble because he was a prefect. He was supposed to be out patrolling the halls, though his patrol ended two hours before that. He had bid her goodnight with a kiss on the cheek and then left somewhat reluctantly with a smile on his face.

She smiled now as she got in the closet and pulled out a pair of blue jeans, a tank top, and a sweater. She grinned broadly as she got dressed, went to the bathroom and brushed her teeth and pulled her hair up into a high ponytail. She went bounding down the stairs to the common room and plopped down into a chair beside Harry and Ron.

"What are you so happy about this morning?"

"Nothing," Hermione replied to Harry as she sat there grinning at the two.

"Probably out late last night with _Vicky_," Ron grumbled as he rolled his eyes at her happy mood.

"So, is anyone hungry? Let's go to breakfast," Hermione breathed excitedly as she jumped up from her chair with great enthusiasm and started off for the portrait hole while Harry and Ron stood up slowly from their chairs and exchanged looks.

At breakfast, Hermione sat there eating happily, her eyes scanning the sea of students for Cedric, but he wasn't there. Viktor had came in and waved to her, but she didn't wave back as she just nodded and looked back to the Great Hall doors. Cedric entered about halfway through breakfast looking a bit tired, but happy nonetheless.

Upon entering, he looked straight at the Gryffindor table and smiled his handsome smile at Hermione and continued over to the Hufflepuff table. Hermione blushed and sighed, but something was a miss with this whole situation. Cho had been watching from the Ravenclaw table and she had saw him smile, though she wasn't sure who he was smiling at because her friend's head was in her line of vision, but she had saw him smile all the same.

Across the hall, someone else had witnessed this exchange. Viktor. He had been watching Hermione, and when he saw her blush, he looked around and saw Cedric walking over to the Hufflepuff table. Viktor was sure that it was something Cedric had done to make her blush like this because she was staring in that direction, and Cedric was the only one walking into the Great Hall at the time.

Hermione's blushing and smiling disappeared though as she saw Cho Chang stand up and storm over to Cedric. She wasn't sure what she was saying, but Cho didn't look happy. In fact, Hermione could have swore that she would explode in any moment if Cedric didn't drop to the floor and grovel at her feet. Cedric, though, was not about to do this as he began to speak with Cho.

"Good morning, Cho," Cedric greeted after Cho walked up and said a very angered hello as well as demanding that they talk in private. "Where would you like to go to talk?"

"Outside... by the lake would be nice," Cho grumbled.

"Very well, then," Cedric replied as he stood up, grabbed a couple pieces of toast and began to follow her. Just as he got to the door, Hermione, Harry, and Ron were on their way up to the Owlery to send Percy a letter about Mr. Crouch.

Cedric nodded to Harry and Ron who passed by with a return nod, and then Hermione stopped and smiled at him. He grinned and nodded politely to her as well as she mumbled a hello and then walked past. Cho was looking three times angrier now than she had before as she watched their friendly exchange.

Cedric looked at her in an innocent way and watched her stalk past him toward the front doors as he followed slowly. His sights were on Hermione as she climbed the staircase, looking back at him over her shoulder every few minutes until they were out of sight of each other.

Cedric continued to follow Cho out onto the grounds and down to the lake where she angrily picked up a rock and threw it. It bounced off the Durmstrang ship and landed in the water with a loud splash. Cedric said nothing as he watched the ripples from the rock growing large and large as they made their way toward the shore. They disappeared before they ever reached the sandy land though.

For some reason, this made Cedric think of his and Cho's relationship. It had grown from a small splash when they had met while hanging out with friends in Hogsmeade. In fact, it had grown so much, that it was now to the point, just like the ripples, where it was disappearing. There was no more love.

Cho always seemed to be angry at him for something or other, or she ignored him while he followed her and her friends around, playing the part of their lackey. He had been nothing but nice to her and she was starting to take advantage of that. The end of the relationship was not his fault, it wasn't because he was involved with Hermione, it had been over long ago. It was just that neither had noticed it until just now.

"Are you listening to me!" Cho's angry voice burst in his ears as though he were hearing it for the first time in surround sound.

"What?"

"See, that's just what I'm talking about," Cho hissed. "You're always ignoring me now that you're _Hogwarts champion_. I makes me so _angry_." Cedric said nothing to this as he stood there looking at her in astonishment. She was blaming this all on him. Wasn't a relationship between two people, wouldn't that mean that the blame should be divided fifty-fifty?

"I really think tha-"

"I don't care what you think right now, Cedric Diggory... I'm too angry to care about anything that has to do with you! Why don't you just go sneak off to the library and snog Hermione Granger in the Restricted Section! I'm sure you'd like that," Cho snarled. "You always seem to be staring at her lately, or talking to her. Is it because of what's in all the papers about her?"

"What's in all the papers about her?" Cedric was very curious as to what Cho knew and he didn't. Was something wrong? Why was Hermione mentioned in the paper and what would it have to do with him anyways?

"See, that's all you care about. If there were something in the paper about me," Cho snapped, "you wouldn't even give two shakes of a phoenix tail feather about it!"

"What is in the paper about her, Cho? And what's it got to do with me?" Had someone seen them that night in the Astronomy Tower and reported them? Cedric had seen the articles about Krum and Harry, were they out for all the champions?

Cho began to shake with fury now as she gave a screaming noise from deep in her throat before turning on her heel and stalking off toward the castle. Cedric could no longer stand this, he didn't care anymore. She could end it however she wanted, but he wanted out and to be with Hermione.

* * *

Later that night, after dinner, Hermione sat in the common room working on her homework. She was irritated. She and Ron had been in another one of their rows over how Hermione had badgered the house-elves today about asking for wages and clothes. 

Hermione had scared the elves so bad that they had made the Golden Trio leave the kitchen. Ron had been on Hermione's case ever since. They had apparently gotten on Harry's nerves as well, because he left to take Sirius's food up to the Owlery and send it to him.

Hermione, fed up with Ron's glares and infuriated mumbles, closed up her books, packed them away, and left the common room herself. She was sure that Cedric would be out in the halls somewhere patrolling for his prefect duties.

Sure enough, he was. She found him about a half hour after leaving the common room. He was heading up the sixth floor staircase just as she was getting ready to go down it.

"Well, if you aren't a sight for sore eyes," Cedric laughed as Hermione stood at the top of the stairs smiling. "What's wrong? You look bothered by something."

"It's nothing, really," Hermione assured him as he stopped next to her. "In fact, you look just as bothered, what's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," Cedric replied.

"This will never work if we keep secrets from each other," Hermione laughed as Cedric grabbed her hand and held it tightly in his.

"I guess not," he sighed in agreement. "You tell me what's wrong and I'll tell you what's wrong. Deal?"

"Deal," Hermione beamed as Cedric began to pull her to an empty classroom. He shut the door as Hermione walked over and pulled out a chair to sit upon. She sat down and sighed as he joined her, taking a seat upon the desktop in front of her.

"So, what's bothering you?"

"It's just all this junk that's in the papers. It's nothing that's really putting stress on me or anything, it's just that those things seem to be harming the friends around me. For instance, you saw what happened to Hagrid," Hermione explained.

"Yes, I saw... don't worry, though," Cedric cooed. "Things will get better. Just ignore things and go about what you do all the time like nothing ever happened."

"I wish I could do that," Hermione sighed. "But it's so hard with the Slytherins always badgering you about it and rubbing magazine articles in your face."

"That's the Slytherin way... they don't care what's going on, as long as they can make fun of someone about it," Cedric muttered. "Things will get better, I promise you."

"How can you promise me that? You seem to be having your own troubles," Hermione pointed out. "I don't want to stack my problems on top of you."

"Your problems are my problems," Cedric whispered as he grabbed her hands and squeezed them tightly for a few seconds before pulling her up out of her chair and closer to him.

"And what are your problems? You never told me," Hermione said while playfully raising her brow.

"It's Cho," Cedric sighed. He really didn't want to tell Hermione about this."She's been really moody lately and she's starting to suspect things."

"Suspect things?" There was curiosity written all over Hermione's voice.

"Yes, suspect things. She'll see me smiling at you or saying hello and she gets mad. She thinks I like you-"

"Well, you do... don't you?"

"Of course I do," Cedric exclaimed. "I just don't know how to get rid of her without making things too bad... you know?"

"Yeah... that's all I would need is a bad break up to happen over me," Hermione laughed half-heartedly.

"I'm kind of hoping that she'll get mad enough to dump me," Cedric planned. "But I don't foresee that happening so I think I might have to take her somewhere private and break it to her easily."

"At least you're being nice about it," Hermione joked. "But keep in mind she's been horrible to you."

"That's true," he lamented. "I just don't want any trouble." They sat in silence for a few minutes after this, Hermione finally leaning forward and resting her head upon Cedric's shoulder and breathing in the smell of his cologne.

It was the same smell as the night before. That sweet scent that tingled her nose, warmed her to the core, and made her feel as though she could melt in his arms. Cedric felt her shoulders rise against his arm as she took in deep breathes of his scent and he smiled. She was the very intimacy that he and Cho lacked. The perfect girl for him really.

"So, I know what I'm going to tell Cho, what about Viktor?"

"Viktor?" Hermione had completely forgotten about him.

"Yes, Viktor," Cedric laughed. "You know... Mr. Durmstrang Champion?"

"Oh... yeah," Hermione sighed. "Well, he knows that we're just friends-"

"Doesn't seem that way," Cedric said.

"It happens to be that way for me," Hermione replied seriously. "We're nothing more than friends... Besides, I would much rather be with you." Hermione smiled lovingly at him as he shook his head and snorted with laughter. They seemed to know just what to say to each other at all the right times.

"Would you really now?"

"Yes," Hermione whispered as she leaned forward. She had become so comfortable with him so quickly. It was nothing like her and Viktor or her and Ron. She and Viktor were always up tight and formal with each other, they would never share moments like this. And she and Ron were always fighting, and it had taken him four year to realize she was a girl, how long would it take him to realize he could kiss her or something like that?

She didn't want to wait and find out, and besides, she was very happy with Cedric. So happy that she couldn't imagine being with anyone else. He was beginning to feel the same way, though he had to admit, he wondered how long she had liked him considering she had warmed up to him so fast. Cho had been the same way, he just didn't want to repeat that mistake.

He couldn't quit comparing her to Cho. It was beginning to drive him crazy the way he kept thinking about Hermione and then returning to how Cho would do the same. But Hermione was so much better and there was nothing that could prove that wrong. Maybe it was just the fact that he was still with Cho? Yes, that was it.

"Is something wrong, Cedric?" He had forgotten that Hermione had leaned in for a kiss, and she still seemed to be waiting.

"No, nothing," he whispered deeply as he leaned in toward her and closed his lips over hers. He deepened the kiss only seconds later and cupped her face in his hands as her arms wrapped around his neck. It was then that Hermione realized she wasn't so comfortable with him, that he still gave her butterflies and she became nervous.

Was she kissing him right? Should she do something now? What should she do if so? Where would all this kissing lead? He wouldn't try anything would he?

'_No_' her mind reasoned. '_He's a gentlemen and a half, he wouldn't try anything that would make you uncomfortable._' He then moved his hands to the small of her back and pulled her closer. His hands were threatening with each passing second to move to her butt and that made her twice as nervous. '_Remember, he wouldn't do that... he wouldn't do that_' she kept telling herself.

She tensed up and became like a stiff board in his arms. She was no longer gently pushing her lips against his own, but instead, she had her eyes shut tight and her lips in a frowning but puckered position.

"Is everything all right?" Cedric had pulled back and moved his hands to her elbows when he noticed her sudden stiffness.

"It's just-"

"I'm not making you uncomfortable, am I?" It was like he had read her mind and that relaxed her. Had it been anyone else that had read her mind that like, it would have made matters worse. But she was happy that he could read her like an open book.

"A little," Hermione mumbled in a voice that was a little less than audible, but he understood all the same.

"Hermione, I don't want to make you uncomfortable," Cedric assured her. "Tell me if there's something I'm doing wrong and I won't do it anymore."

"It's not that you're doing anything wrong-"

"Hermione," Cedric said in a pressingly firm yet loving voice.

"Okay, okay... it's just I'm wondering if I'm doing things right," Hermione admitted.

"I'm moving too fast for you, aren't I?"

"Just a bit," Hermione answered.

"Then we can stick to holding hands and talking if it makes you happy," Cedric suggested.

"No," Hermione sighed as she looked into his deep, ocean blue eyes. "Everything's fine... let's just not get too grabby," she added with a laugh.

"All right," he chuckled as he leaned forward and put his forehead upon hers as she smiled up at him. Then, much to both's surprise, the door to the classroom opened and in walked Marietta Edgecombe, Cho Chang's best friend, and a Ravenclaw boy who looked to be in his sixth year at Hogwarts.

"Cedric!" Marietta seemed to be in shock at the sight of her best friend's boyfriend sitting on a desk, arms around Hermione Granger while their foreheads rested upon each other's.

"Marie-"

"What are you doing!" Marietta was in a rage now as she came storming across the classroom toward him. "Aren't you and Cho still dating!"

"Yes we are," Cedric answered with dignity. "And aren't you supposed to be in your common room?"

"What about her?" Marietta thrust a finger at Hermione and looked scandalized and angry.

"She's out on special order," Cedric said with authority. "Now make your way back to the Ravenclaw common room and to your dormitories or I shall have to call upon the Head of Ravenclaw House."

Marietta looked more than angry now as she stamped her foot and stormed off out the door. The sixth year boy rolling his eyes and muttering grumpily as he followed her out.

"I think maybe, it's time that we got you back to your common room," Cedric sighed as he slid down off the desk and grabbed Hermione's hand. "Let's go."

"I'm sor-"

"Don't," Cedric said softly. "Don't be sorry. It was bound to happen. Maybe now that she knows, she'll blab to Cho and Cho will dump me. Then, I can freely be with you and not have to sneak around at night and hide with you."

Hermione smiled at the mere thought of this. Walking hand-in-hand down the corridor in broad daylight with Cedric or sitting peacefully in the library, her head on his shoulder as they read a book together. Hermione sighed happily and giggled as he leaned in and placed a soft kiss upon her forehead and then walked her to her common room.

But what Cedric didn't know was as he continuing his patrol, a conversation with evil intentions was stirring in the fifth year Ravenclaw girls' dormitory.


	21. Revenge & Trouble

Chapter 21 – Revenge & Trouble

Cho Chang began to throw things inside her dorm. Marietta was sitting on her bed, watching her enraged friend as she picked up books and threw them across the room. Cho managed to knock a lamp off the nightstand, topple a bottle of ink off a desk, upset the nightstand, and she was about to throw the glass unicorn that Cedric had bought her when Marietta stopped her.

"Cho! Cho!"

"What!"

"Stop! There's got to be a better way to do this," Marietta suggested as he got up off the bed and wrenched the glass figurine out of Cho's hand before safely storing it in her best friend's trunk.

"A better way! A better way!"

"Yes, a better way," Marietta repeated as she grabbed Cho by the shoulders and sat her down on her bed. "We need to get revenge on him-"

"No, not him... that's not good enough," Cho hissed. "_HER!_"

"But how?" Cho shook her head as she sat there thinking, brooding upon what she could do when her eyes landed on something. Her face lit up with a mischievous smile while her eyes sparkled viscously.

"Well, we'll need some copies of the _Daily Prophet_ and some undiluted bubotuber pus," Cho replied.

"What are we going to do with that?"

"You'll see... let's just go get the stuff," Cho laughed maliciously as she grabbed a copy of _Witch Weekly_ off the floor and ran for the door with Marietta in tow.

* * *

The next day at breakfast, Hermione seemed to be in a better mood and Ron was playing along since his dark prediction about the food that would appear proved false. They were sitting in silence with Harry when the morning post came in with a swooshing sound and the whirling colors of many owls flying overhead. 

Hermione stared up at the ceiling eagerly as the owls passed over. She was waiting for one to deliver her something.

"Percy won't've had time to answer yet," Ron said between bites of food. "We only sent Hedwig yesterday."

"No, it's not that," Hermione answered. "I've taken out a subscription to the _Daily Prophet_. I'm getting sick of finding everything out from the Slytherins."

"Good thinking! Hey, Hermione, I think you're in luck-," Harry began, but he stopped when a large gray owl came soaring down at Hermione

"It hasn't got a newspaper, though," Hermione pointed out. "It's-"

Hermione stopped here though as four barn owls, a brown owl, and a tawny landed in front of her along with the gray owl. Harry and Ron seemed to be just as confused, and it was only after Harry spoke that Hermione realized all the letters really were for her.

"How many subscriptions did you take out?"

"What on earth-?" Hermione took the letter from the gray owl. She opened it and began to read as the owl took flight. "Oh, really!"

"What's up?" Ron and Harry were really bewildered now as Hermione turned red and took another letter from one of the barn owls.

"It's – oh, how ridiculous-"

She pushed the letters at Harry as she took some more from the remaining owls. All of them said things like: _You are a wicked girl. Harry Potter deserves better. Go back where you came from Muggle_.

"They're all like it! '_Harry Potter can do much better than the likes of you..._' '_You deserve to be boiled in frog spawn_...' Ouch!" Hermione dropped the letters she had been reading when she opened one of the envelopes and something exploded out onto her hands. It burned immediately and began to itch as boils started appearing.

"Undiluted bubotuber pus!" Ron sniffed the envelope as he held it gingerly between his thumb and index finger.

"Ow!" Hermione had grabbed up a napkin and was trying to rub off the foul pus, but it wasn't working. Sores were multiplying all over her hands at a rapid pace and she looked to be in great pain as tears welled in her eyes.

"You'd better get up to the hospital wing," Harry suggested. "We'll tell Professor Sprout where you've gone..." Hermione jumped up and rushed off as Ron started mouthing off about something. Many people were watching her run past as she continued to rub her hands with a napkin, but none were happy like one person was.

"Job well done, Marietta," Cho laughed evilly as she looked over to Cedric who stood up with concern written on his face as he watched Hermione rush out, tears streaming down her face.

"Aren't you going to go after him?"

"No, not yet," Cho answered. "I'm going to let him comfort her and find out what happened and then I'm going to execute part two of my plan. After I'm done, she's going to wish she never messed with _my _boyfriend."

"Sometimes I think you should have been in Slytherin," Marietta laughed.

"I know," Cho chuckled along as she grabbed her books and followed her friend out of the Great Hall for class.

* * *

"Hermione?" 

"Cedric?" Hermione was sitting in the hospital wing with her hands soaking in some thick, gooey purple potion Madam Pomfrey had put into a large bowl.

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine... Madam Pomfrey said that this will go away in a couple of days," Hermione said with optimism. "Shouldn't you be in your first class right now?"

"I told the professor I didn't feel good," Cedric sighed as he sat down and kissed Hermione's cheek. "Are you sure you'll be all right?"

"Really, Cedric, I'm fine. It's feeling much better now that I have this potion on it," Hermione said as she pulled her hands up out of the concoction and watched her fingers drip slowly with the purple syrup-like liquid. "I just can't believe that people believe that awful woman enough to do things like this."

"You know, it might have been the Slytherins... I wouldn't put it past them," Cedric said softly, anger flecking his voice. "Most people know Rita Skeeter is a liar... Try not to pay too much attention to it."

"I won't. I really don't want to give people the satisfaction of knowing they bother me," Hermione said with pride swelling in her chest and voice.

"That's the spirit," Cedric laughed as he put his hand on the back of her head and pushed her forehead to his. They looked into each other's eyes, Hermione feeling butterflies grow inside her stomach, and a smile spreading across her flushed face.

Cedric leaned in and kissed her, making her draw in a deep breath and hold it there. She couldn't help but shiver. It felt like someone had dumped a cup of ice water on her head, but she loved that feeling. It was always a good feeling to her.

Goosebumps had broken out on her arms and Cedric laughed as he rubbed her arms to try and make them go away.

"Mr. Diggory?"

"Ah, Madam Pomfrey," Cedric said as he jumped up off the bed where he was sitting next to Hermione.

"What are you doing here?"

"Um... well, I uh- I was just checking on Hermione. Professor-"

"Sprout saw that I wasn't in class and probably sent him up," Hermione finished for him.

"Very uh- well, then. You should be getting back to class, though," Madam Pomfrey said in an unsure way. "The second class of the day is about to start."

"Okay, then," Cedric said in agreement as he walked to the door. Hermione watched him, and when Madam Pomfrey's back was turned while wrapping Hermione's hands in bandages, Cedric signaled to Hermione that he would be outside the Hospital Wing waiting for her.

Cedric had been waiting for about five minutes when Hermione emerged. He walked her to the Gryffindor Tower, Cedric sneaking inside with her and waiting in the common room while she went up to her dorm and got her books for Care of Magical Creatures.

They were on their way down the seventh floor corridor when the bell for the end of the first class rang. They made it to the fifth floor without anyone noticing, or at least saying anything, about them holding hands.

Suddenly, someone grabbed Cedric by the arm and spun him around, wrenching his hand painfully from Hermione's which he was holding gingerly because of her bandages.

"What do you think you're doing!" It was Cho Chang and she was looking furious.

"What do you mean '_what am I doing_'? I'm walking Hermione to class," Cedric hissed. He had had just about enough of Cho and her grouchiness. It was getting old, and fast too.

"Well, does that mean you have to hold her hand? Which I might add seems pretty bad. What is that from, Granger? _Hate mail_?" At this, Hermione narrowed her eyes and glared at Cho.

'_She did it_' Hermione thought. '_No, wait, that's stupid. This is Cho Chang, she's not a Slytherin._'

"Remember, Cedric, you're my boyfriend. Now, why don't you get over here and carry my books to my class," Cho demanded as she glared Cedric up and down, her burning gaze stopping on Hermione's bag that was on his shoulder along with his own.

"C'mon, Hermione, let's go," Cedric said quietly after a few seconds.

"Cedric!" By now, everyone in the corridor was watching and Hermione was feeling a bit nervous.

"Cho," Cedric mocked. "I'm going to be late for class, _now_, excuse us." Cedric put his hand on Hermione's shoulder and guided her away from an angered Cho and her scandalized looking friend, Marietta.

"Cedric, do you really think you should have done that?" Hermione could feel Cho glaring holes in her back, and when she looked back over her shoulder, Cho stomped her foot as everyone pointed and sniggered at her.

"Done what?" Cedric was laughing as he and Hermione started down the stairs to the fourth floor.

"Make her mad like that," Hermione answered in a worried way.

"Don't worry about it. I want her to break up with me... remember?" Cedric grabbed Hermione by the elbow and pulled her behind a statue. He leaned down and placed the sweetest kiss on her lips that he could give her.

It was like butterflies fluttering against her lips. A warmth grew from her lips where his brushed against them. Hermione closed her eyes and tried to savor the moment, but someone behind Cedric cleared their throat.

Hermione and Cedric parted and they looked up to see Viktor Krum. Hermione's eyes bugged out of her head as Viktor stood there looking confused, his eyebrows knitted and his arms hanging awkwardly at his sides.

"Herm-own-ninny, can I talk vith you?"

"Um- ce-certainly, V-Viktor," Hermione replied as she slipped past Cedric toward Viktor while pink rose up onto her cheeks.

"Hermione! Um- your bag," Cedric called as Viktor put his arm around her lower back and began to guide her off down the fourth floor corridor.

"Oh! Thanks," Hermione said bashfully as she turned back to get it, but Viktor beat her to it as he reached out a long arm and took it from Cedric, placing it on his own arm.

"I'll see you at lunch or something," Cedric sighed as he adjusted his own bag on his shoulder while nodding to Hermione.

"Sure," Hermione said with a smile. "Thanks... bye." Hermione's smile faded though as Cedric nodded again, but Viktor gave a nod back and gave a bit of a forceful push on her lower back to turn her away from Cedric and start her off down the corridor.

They entered the library, much to Madam Pince's displeasure as she watched them with hawk eyes while they made their way to the back of the library. Viktor pulled out a chair for Hermione and she sat down, only to have him push her in a bit roughly. She took a deep breath and pushed herself away from the table a little as he dropped her bag on the table with a dull clunk and sat down next to her.

"So uh- what... did you want to talk with me about?"

"Are you dating Cedric Diggory?"

"What!" Hermione became wide-eyed and nervous. "What- what would," Hermione seemed to be choking on her own words as she tried to laugh this off. "What would give you that idea?"

"You vere kissing him in the hallvay back there," Viktor pointed out. As he looked a bit heartbroken. Hermione started to feel miserable. She had been ready to tell Viktor, but she had never expected it to be like this.

"Viktor... I- um." Hermione really didn't know what to say. She had never had to do anything like this before. How did one even go about doing this?

"You vere vith him all along, veren't you?"

"Oh, no, I promise I wasn't. Listen... you're really nice and everything... Can't we uh- can't we just... just be friends?"

"Herm-own-ninny... I really like you-"

"I'm so sorry," Hermione sobbed. Tears were forming quickly in her eyes and her heart was sinking lower and lower with each word he spoke.

"I haff never felt this vay about any girl before... I told you that-"

"I know, I know. And I'm sorr-"

"I just vish you could see in me vhat you see in him," Viktor sighed as he stood up.

"Viktor, you've a great guy and all. And there's a girl out there somewhere for you who's _so_ much better than m-"

"I don't vant better. I vant you, Herm-own-ninny," Viktor said softly as he bent down and placed a kiss on her cheek before turning slowly and leaving.

Hermione spent the next ten minutes in the bathroom crying. She wanted to see Cedric at that very moment. She prayed that he would walk into the girls' bathroom, scoop her up in his arms, and kiss away her tears.

"That's not going to happen, though," she sighed heavily as she wiped her tears on her sleeves and sniffed loudly. "I guess I should get to class, then."

Hermione picked up her bag and walked out of the bathroom. Her second class was almost over as she jogged down the stairs and took long strides down the corridors to get there faster. She finally made it to the front doors in the entrance hall and she sniffed loudly again before walking out.

She walked slowly across the lawn, her eyes set on the class of Slytherins and Gryffindors gathered around Hagrid's hut. She had to cheer up. She couldn't let the Slytherins see her like this, and she certainly couldn't let Harry, Ron, and Hagrid see her like this. But as hard as she tried, she couldn't smile.

So, with a heavy heart and a frown, she walked over to where Harry and Ron were standing with Hagrid while watching some strange looking, magical creature jump in and out of a dirt patch. Hermione stopped next to them and sat her bag down, as she stood back up, she noticed Pansy Parkinson staring at her. Hermione ignored this as she heard Hagrid call out to the class.

"Well, let's check how yeh've done! Count yer coins! An' there's no point tryin' ter steal any, Goyle," Hagrid bellowed. "It's leprechaun gold. Vanishes after a few hours."

Hermione watched Goyle empty his pockets as everyone around her counted up their coins. She was about to start talking to Harry and Ron when Hagrid turned back to the Golden Trio and began to talk to her.

"What yeh done ter your hands, Hermione?"

"I got some hate mail for the article that was in _Witch Weekly_ and one of the envelopes had bubotuber pus in it," Hermione replied as she looked down sadly at her bandaged hands.

"Aaah, don' worry," Hagrid sighed. "I got some o' those letters an' all, after Rita Skeeter wrote abou' me mum. '_Yeh're a monster an' yeh should be put down_.' '_Yer mother killed innocent people an' if you had any decency you'd jump in a lake._'"

This came as a shock to Hermione. Physical pain like her hands was one thing, but one just didn't say cruel things like that to another human being. Hagrid was a gentle and loving man, how could people say things like that to him when they didn't even really know him? It made Hermione mad as well as shocked her, how could people be _so_ cruel?

"No!"

"Yeah," Hagrid said. "They're jus' nutters, Hermione. Don' open 'em if yeh get any more. Chuck 'em straigh' in the fire."

Hermione made a mental note about this and nodded as she turned to Ron as Hagrid handed him the prize he had won for having the most coins. Something was wrong though. Ron looked upset as he stared down at the Honeyduke's chocolate bar in his hand.

"What's the matter? Wrong flavor?"

"No," Ron replied to Harry. "Why didn't you tell me about the gold?"

"What gold?"

"The gold I gave you at the Quidditch World Cup," Ron reminded. "The laprachaun gold I gave you for my Omnioculars. In the Top Box. Why didn't you tell me it disappeared?"

Hermione felt an awkwardness as Harry seemed taken aback as though he didn't know what to say. She was trying to think of something to say to help Harry out, but she herself didn't feel much like talking.

"Oh...," Harry sighed. "I dunno... I never noticed it had gone. I was more worried about my wand, wasn't I?"

'_Good one, Harry_' Hermione thought as they bid good-bye to Hagrid and left for the Great Hall for lunch. She was thoroughly happy about this because she would get to see Cedric, but something was still nagging at her. Rita. Rita Skeeter.

Hermione felt anger boil up inside her. She had caused her all this trouble. First Harry, then Hagrid, and now her. Hermione also had a feeling that had Rita not put out that article about her, Harry, and Viktor, Viktor wouldn't have thought so much about their friendship and it would have made things easier earlier in the library.

Hermione hadn't been listening to Harry or Ron as they entered the Great Hall and took their seats. She was so angry now. She was about to slam her fist down upon the table, but there was a loud clank of a fork hitting a plate. Hermione looked over and saw Ron stabbing a potato. This brought her back into the conversation that Harry and Ron were having.

"I hate being poor," Ron complained. Hermione looked to Harry, she had no idea what was going on, but Harry seemed just as surprised. "It's rubbish. I don't blame Fred and George for trying to make some extra money. Wish I could. Wish I had a niffler." Hermione thought that this might be an opportune time for a joke or a bit of humor.

"Well, we know what to get you for Christmas," she said brightly. "Come on, Ron," she frowned when she noticed it did nothing to cheer him up, "it could be worse. At least your fingers aren't full of pus."

Hermione huffed as she struggled with her fork and knife. She couldn't hold them. Her hands just slipped up and down the handles of them, and her fingers were bandaged together so she had no use of them. Anger filled her once again as she gave up with a rumble from her stomach.

"I _hate_ that Skeeter woman! I'll get her back for this if it's the last thing I do!"


	22. Passageways & Cafés

Chapter 22 – Passageways & Cafés

Cedric was about to walk into the Great Hall for lunch when he spotted Cho Chang with a group of her friends. They were laughing and one in particular, Marietta, was pretending to cry and she was holding her hands up. Cedric was certainly curious now, what was their strange behavior about?

"And did- did you see her face? It was pric-priceless," Cho laughed.

"Oh, Cho, you are brilliant. A true Ravenclaw, in a sense," said a girl with a liquid paper complexion and reddish-purple curls.

"I couldn't have done it without Marietta, though, of course," Cho merited. "She was the one who got the bubotuber pus from Sprout while I asked her about some stupid extra credit Herbology assignment."

"Bubotuber pus? That's what Hermione had on her hands," Cedric whispered to himself as he watched them while hiding around the marble staircase. "Cho!"

Cedric was more than angry by now. His teeth were grinding together in frustration and his eyes were narrowed while his fists curled up into tight balls of fury. He came out from behind the staircase and stalked toward her, catching the click of girls' attention halfway through his stalking.

"Cedric... honey," Cho said cheerfully as she suppressed a giggle.

"Don't you honey me, you... you... you lying, evil, sorry excuse for a girl! What did you do to Hermione?"

"What did I do?" Cho looked taken aback as she looked around at her friends who all shrugged and pressed their lips together to keep from grinning maliciously.

"Yes! What did you do? I heard you lot talking about the bubotuber pus and how Marietta helped you," Cedric snarled. "Now, go in there and apologize to Hermione!"

"Why should I apologize to her?" Cho sounded outraged now at the mere thought of his demand.

"Because she didn't deser-"

"Oh, yes she did! She deserved every bit of that stuff and so much more! Besides, I'm not the only one who sent it. People actually believe the article about the little bookworm turned tramp," Cho snapped viciously.

"And what did she do yo deserve it, Cho? Huh?"

"She tried to take you from me. No one, and I mean, _no one_ can do that! _Ever!_"

"No, no, Cho. She didn't try and take me from you. I was already distancing myself from you. You're not what I want in a girlfriend," Cedric hissed.

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"It means, you dumby, that I'm through with you. To put it in even plainer terms, I'm breaking up with you!"

"What! No! You can't do that!"

"Yes, I can. I just did," Cedric said triumphantly before grabbing her hand.

"What are you doing?" Cho tried to wrench her hand from his grasp as he twisted a ring off of her finger.

"I don't think you'll be needing this anymore... seeing as we aren't dating anymore and all," Cedric huffed as he struggled to get the ring off her curling and jerking finger.

"You leave that ri-," but Cho was too late. Cedric had gotten the ring off and was now grasping it firmly in his palm.

"I think I know someone who will appreciate this a little more than you," Cedric breathed.

"Don't you even give _my_ ring to that... that little fourth year... know-it-all... _Mudblood!_" Cho's friends gasped at her choice of words, even Cho herself seemed a bit surprised as her eyes widened at her words.

"Take. That. Back," Cedric hissed.

"N-... No!"

"Take it BACK!"

"Give me back _my_ ring!"

"It's not yours anymore," Cedric bellowed. With that said, Cho turned on her heel, her long sheet of silky black hair lashing out violently at Cedric as she turned away so quickly. She began to stomp off toward the entrance hall doors as Cedric shook his head in disbelief before turning and entering the Great Hall while placing the ring safely in his pants' pocket.

* * *

"Cedric," Hermione giggled. "Where are we going?" 

"You'll see," Cedric whispered in her ear.

"Wait... I know this-"

"_Dissendium!_" The hump on the back of a statue of a one-eyed witch slid open revealing a passage way. This was the way Harry got into Hogsmeade last year without anyone knowing or seeing him. How did Cedric know?

"How did you kn-"

"Prefect patrolling gets quite boring unless you can be lucky enough to find and follow Fred and George Weasley," Cedric laughed.

"Well, we can't leave the grounds... That's breaking the rules and to top it all off, you are a prefect breaking the rules if we do," Hermione pointed out firmly.

"Hermione, I promise you that we won't get caught... now, just go down the passage way," Cedric instructed as he laced his fingers together and held them out like a step to give Hermione a boost up to the opening.

Hermione frowned as she looked up and down the third floor corridor. She could be in serious trouble if she was caught, but then again, this was Cedric. Her handsome, dreamy, and oh so lovably kissable Cedric. She was willing to do anything for or with him.

"Fine," Hermione sighed as she put her foot in his hands and grabbed the statue, pulling herself up as Cedric pushed her up.

Hermione seemed to be doing okay until her sock got caught on Cedric's prefect badge. She pulled a bit and it finally came loose as Cedric gave a heaving push and finally got her up to where she could sit on the edge of the one-eyed witch's hump.

"You know... not that I'm trying to look or anything," Cedric panted, "but nice pink lace."

Hermione looked back over her shoulder at him in confusion before realizing that he was talking about her underwear. She blushed a deep crimson and felt her face heat up as though she had an awful fever. He laughed at her surprised face as he boosted himself to sit with his legs in the opening of the statue just like her.

"Ready?"

"We can't see anything," Hermione said before letting out a scream as he slid down, pulling her arm and taking her with him. Just down the corridor, Filch's ears perked at the sound of Hermione's scream and he walked in the direction of the noise.

When he got to the statue, he found nothing except Cedric's prefect badge. It was laying at the foot of the statue of the one-eyed witch, but Cedric was nowhere in sight. In fact, the only ones in the corridor were Mrs. Norris and Filch. For the hump had slid back into place, and Hermione and Cedric were just hitting the bottom of the slide in the witch's hump.

"Well, hello," Cedric laughed as he lay there on his back, Hermione straddling his lap. Cedric had tried to stop himself on the way down or at least slow himself down, but all he managed to do was send himself flipping down the rest of the slide. Landing them in the situation they were in now.

Hermione blushed once again and got up quickly as Cedric sat up and searched his pockets for his wand. He felt in his pants pockets, but it wasn't there. He stood up and bumped his head on the passage way ceiling as he felt in his back pockets for the wooden stick.

"Lumos," Hermione said softly, her wand's tip lighting and the light landing on a wooden stick laying on the dirt floor.

"Thanks," Cedric muttered in embarrassment as Hermione sighed amusedly and bushed herself off while Cedric lit his own wand and followed suit.

"So, where are we going?"

"That's for me to know and you to find you," Cedric teased as he grabbed Hermione's hand gently and pulled her along the passage way.

After about ten minutes of walking, they came to the trap door in Honeyduke's basement and pushed up into the basement of the candy shop. They sneaked up the stairs, unlocked the front door to the closed and darkened sweets store, and walked unnoticed out into the village street. The street was nowhere near as crowded as it was during the day or on the weekends, but there were still people mulling around.

The Three Broomsticks was still extremely full and seemed to be a place of excitement as people in its windows sat talking animatedly. Shops such as Zonko's, Honeyduke's, Gladrags, and Scrivenshaft's were closed, their windows dark or dimly lit by lights from the back of the stores where the shop owners were undoubtedly counting up the day's earnings.

Cedric lead Hermione down the street, past Zonko's, Gladrags, and to the corner of the sidewalk where Scrivenshaft's was. He made her take a left and lead her down the sidewalk, buildings on their left disappearing after Scrivenshaft's.

"Cedric, where _are_ you taking me?"

"Right there," Cedric said as he stopped and pointed across the street.

On the right hand side of the street was a little café called Madam Puddifoot's. It looked cramped even though there was only three couples inside the tea shop. The tables inside were covered with powder pink table clothes and they were circular and small with two chairs at each.

"Well, no use standing out here all night... Let's go in," Cedric said cheerfully as he put his hand on the small of Hermione's back and pushed her gently toward the shop.

She felt her feet working awkwardly, as though she didn't know how to walk. Why was she feeling this way? It wasn't as though she had never been on a date, she had went to the Yule Ball with Viktor and been just fine. But this was a real date, one-on-one, no one but her and Cedric. At the Yule Ball, her friends had been there and she didn't really feel this way about Viktor.

"Are you sure no one will spot us and tell?"

"Don't worry about it... I've got my-," Cedric stopped as he looked down at his chest where his shiny prefect badge would be, but it wasn't there.

"What's wrong?"

"My badge... it's gone," Cedric answered.

"Where do you think it is?" Hermione looked really worried now, and she seemed to be only seconds away from biting off every nail on her hands.

"You know what? Don't worry about it," Cedric sighed contentedly as he felt that worrying about it or even thinking on it might ruin their night.

"But-"

"Hello, Cedric... and who's this new young lady?" Madam Puddifoot was standing next to their table, a tablet in her hand and a pink feather quill in her other hand.

"This is Hermione Granger," Cedric introduced.

"Wait! You're that one in _Witch Wee_-"

"That article is a lie," Cedric said quickly. Madam Puddifoot gasped and looked to Cedric quickly as though he had told her about someone breaking into Gringott's.

"No!" Cedric only nodded to her gasping and she quickly turned to Hermione, frowning down at her in pity. "I should have known that any girl with our young Cedric here was a good person. So, what shall I get you all?"

"How about two lattes and a chocolate sundae," Cedric suggested. Hermione nodded in agreement and smiled at Madam Puddifoot as she nodded and beamed at the two of them before disappearing to the back of the café. "What I ordered is okay with you... right?"

"Absolutely," Hermione beamed as she sat in her chair timidly, her hands laying her in lap under the table. She looked around at the café and noticed that the lights had started to dim and the only thing now lighting the place was metallic pearl white candles floating above the tables.

"Do you like it here? I mean, is it all right that I brought you here?"

"Cedric," Hermione laughed at his seemingly nervous questioning, "it's fine... really."

Silence ensued, both seemed to be lost for words. Suddenly a soft tune struck up and floating across the café to their eager ears. It wasn't long after this that their drinks and sundae came floating across the room on a tray. The lattes were steaming with loads of whipped cream on top, and the sundae looked simply delicious to the both of them.

Cedric pulled her drink and the sundae toward him before Hermione let out a yelp and realized that her chair was floating an inch of the ground, moving her closer to him. When her chair was on the ground again, Cedric raised his hands above the table, laying his wand down and picking up a spoon as he handed Hermione hers.

She frowned at this as she tried to take it. She still hadn't gotten the hang of holding the utensils with her bandaged hands. She sighed and let the spoon fall to the table as Cedric frowned too. She resorted to picking up her cup with both hands and going to take a sip.

'_At least I can pick this up_' Hermione thought gratefully as she sipped the warm liquid. It was sweet with a hint of French vanilla flavoring as well as another flavor Hermione couldn't place, but it made her want to snuggle up to Cedric. '_Does this lady... Puddifoot, put Love Potion in her drinks!_'

Hermione was broke from her reverie though as Cedric snorted and tried to suppress laughter. Her brow knitted as she wondered what he could be laughing at. She sat down her cup and looked down at her shirt to see if she had dripped anything, but that's when she noticed what he was laughing at. She had whipped cream on the end of her nose.

"Here... let me," Cedric snickered as he picked up a napkin and dabbed her nose. "Do you want some of this?"

"If you can help me with this spoon, sure," Hermione replied as she tried to pick up her spoon, but Cedric stopped her as he put his hand on top of hers gently.

"Here," he said as he put some ice cream on his own spoon and brought it up to her mouth. Hermione looked at him with a bit of reluctance before sighing and taking the bite he was offering her.

The ice cream was cool the whole way down to her stomach. It was just the right contrast to the warm latte she was drinking. Cedric smiled at the happy look upon her face. Cho had never been like this with him, happy with the simple things.

The longer they sat there together, the more that Cedric thought Hermione was for him and the more she forgot about all her problems with Viktor, Ron, Harry, school, and those hate letters. She had even forgotten about her hands when she balled them into excited fists as Cedric leaned into her for a kiss.

She whimpered and opened her hands quickly, her stomach which had previously seized up in excitement, dropping as pain rushed over her. Cedric sat back in his seat and cradled her hands in his as she winced.

"What's wrong?"

"They just hurt," Hermione groaned as she bit down on her bottom lip and watched Cedric pulled them up to him and kiss each one. She smiled, she had stopped believing a long time ago that kisses made boo-boos better, but when Cedric did this, for felt like a kid again. A little kid that had scraped her knee and went to mom for bandages and a kiss to make them better.

Hermione sighed and let him pull her into him, her head resting on his shoulder as his arms wrapped around her shoulders and held her tight and close to him. She couldn't be happier. Well, she could if her hands had been better, but things were good enough for her that she wouldn't ask for more of what she thought was good fortune.

"Are you ready to leave?"

"Yeah," Hermione whispered as she raised her head and looked up at him. They were totally oblivious to the fact that they were the only ones left in the café and that Madam Puddifoot was watching them from the little circular window on the kitchen door.

Madam Puddifoot swished her wand, and as Cedric and Hermione drew closer and closer for a kiss, more and more candles extinguished themselves. Finally, their lips were only mere millimeters apart when only one of the three candles above their table remained lit.

They sealed the kiss and the last candle went out as Madam Puddifoot summoned the dishes from their table to her. It took them a matter of two minutes and four kisses later to realize that they were in total darkness except for the dim light that was coming in the window from the street lamp outside. They laughed silently and got up, carefully pushing in their chairs and using the dim street lamp light as their means of light to make it to the doorway.

"Ladies first," Cedric said as he held the door open for Hermione and gave a short bow as she walked past. She giggled and waited for him to join her on the sidewalk before starting off for the High Street, the lock on the café door giving a soft click as it locked itself.

They made their way up the street before Cedric realized something. Honeyduke's was now locked and they wouldn't be able to get inside without a magical alarm going off and them getting caught. He stopped and looked around as he tried to figure out a way for them to get back to the castle.

"What's the matter?" Hermione was about three feet ahead of him and looking very puzzled as he started to walk slowly toward her.

"Would now be a bad time to tell you that I don't know how to get back to the castle?"

Hermione's jaw hung agape slightly as Cedric stood there looking extremely sorry. It was after midnight and there was no way they could wait until in the morning. They would miss classes by the time Honeyduke's was open for them to use the passage again. Besides, they couldn't use that passage during the daytime, they would run the risk of getting seen and exposing the passageway. Then suddenly, something hit Hermione.

"Wait! I know a way to get back onto the grounds," Hermione said hurriedly. "Follow me." Without another moment's hesitation, Hermione and Cedric set off once more up the High Street, past Honeyduke's and made a right at the next corner.

"Where are we going? The only thing out this way is the Skrieking Shack," Cedric pointed out.

"Precisely," Hermione said in a know-it-all fashion as she sped up.

"But-"

"Just c'mon," Hermione directed as she looked back over her shoulder to make sure he was keeping up. They finally made it to the gates of the shack and Hermione began to walk onto the grounds when Cedric reached out and grabbed her by the shoulder.

"Hermione... are you insane? That place is haunted, and there are trespassing signs everywhere," Cedric said firmly.

"No, I'm not insane. No, the place isn't haunted, it was just once dwelled in by a werewolf. And I don't care... I've been in there before," Hermione shrugged as she turned and started off toward the shack once more while Cedric looked at her as though she were insane.

"A werewolf?"

"It's fine... he's not there anymore," Hermione called over her shoulder as she came to the boarded up door. She pulled out her wand and blasted the door in, climbing over the wreckage of boards smoking boards that used to be the door, into the shack's main room.

Cedric followed her reluctantly in, checking everywhere, looking nervously here and there. He seemed to be waiting for something to jump out and grab him, possibly for a werewolf to jump out and bite him. He jumped a bit when he heard a squeaking noise, but it was only Hermione who was giggling at his scared movements.

"This way," she said cheerfully as she pulled out her wand. "Lumos!" Her wand light fell over a trap door in the wooden floor, a passage with dirt stairs, much like the one inside the one-eyed witch's hump. They entered the passage, Cedric deciding that he would let Hermione go first since she knew the way.

Within fifteen minutes, Hermione's hand was reaching up and groping for a knot on the roots of the Whomping Willow, but she didn't find it in time as the tree lashed out with a whip-like branch and hit her hand. She pulled her hand back quickly, tears welling in her eyes as she shook her hand like she was trying to shake away the pain.

"Are you all right?"

"Fine, fine... just reach out there and find a knot on the roots to the right... push it and it will make the tree hold still," Hermione instructed. Cedric did as he was told, playing cat and mouse with the tree for a few minutes before finally placing his hand on the knot and pushing, causing the tree to freeze. Cedric crawled out first, holding the knot while he watched Hermione crawl out.

"Now, what?"

"Now, you put your foot on the knot, stand up, and get ready to run as fast as you can," Hermione replied as she took a deep breath and prepared to run.

"Go ahead and get back... I'll join you in a minute," Cedric commanded as he realized that holding in the knot until Hermione was well out of the way would be a smart thing to do.

Hermione took obliged to his command and waited on the hillside four feet out of the tree's reach as she watched Cedric take his foot off the knot and break out into a run. It took the tree a few minutes to shake off its frozen state before it realized that Cedric was still within reach. He dodged the many branches, finally falling at Hermione's feet, safe from the tree.

"See, that... wasn't so... bad," he panted as he got up and brushed himself off while she giggled.


	23. Jealousy & the First Fight

Chapter 23 – Jealousy & the First Fight

Cedric walked Hermione back to the Gryffindor Tower, stopping outside and placing a kiss on her cheek before stuffing his hands in his pockets to walk away. His finger hit something in his pocket and he pulled it out. It was Cho's ring. Something jumped inside his chest as he wheeled around and called to Hermione.

"Wait!"

"Shh... What is it?"

"Here," Cedric said as he ran to her and grabbed her hand, but stopped as he realized that the bandage was keeping him from slipping it on her finger. He looked at her and then saw something shimmer on her neck. A necklace.

He turned her around and undid the clasp on the necklace, sliding the ring onto it and closing the clasp once more so that her necklace was back in place. He turned her back around as she looked down at the ring hanging from her neck.

"Cedric," Hermione said slowly. "Where did you- Why did you- What's this-"

She stopped though as he put a finger to her lips to silence her and leaned down, leaving a tender and taunting kiss on her lips that left her wanting more. He stood up straight once more, nodded, and set off down the corridor for his own common room.

* * *

The week came to a close on Friday, Hermione receiving hate mail the whole week through. She had listened to Hagrid's advice, though, and stopped opening the mail that she received. At least she stopped opening everything but the Howlers which exploded at breakfast and during most any time really, except in classes. 

Hermione felt even worse, though, not just about the letters, but about Harry and Viktor. Viktor wasn't his usual grumpy looking self as he sat in the back of the library. He had even stopped coming in there when Hermione was in there. And poor Harry kept having to tell people that Hermione was his girlfriend. She could see that he was getting frustrated with it.

"It'll die down, though," Harry assured Hermione, "if we just ignore it... People got bored with that stuff she wrote about me last time-"

"I want to know how she's listening to private conversations when she's supposed to be banned from the grounds!"

On this particular day, Hermione was in a horrible mood. On her way down to breakfast, Cho had bumped into her and made all her books fall from her bag. Then, she followed Hermione on her early morning library trip. She had overheard Madam Pince answering her as to where a book was, and she ran to get it and check it out before Hermione could. So, the hate mail that came that morning really tipped the scale for Hermione and sent her into a rage.

The bell rang and they went to their first class of the day. Classes proved to be either boring, in the case of History of Magic, or rigorous for Hermione that day as she couldn't properly pay attention because of her anger. Another reason she couldn't pay attention was because Lavender and Parvati kept sending her notes in the middle of class while Professor Binns's back was turned. The notes kept asking where she had gotten the ring on her necklace and if it was from Harry or Viktor.

Hermione had angrily written her response in untidy writing. It told them to leave her alone that she was neither dating Harry or Viktor and that it wasn't from either of them. She continued on to tell them to stop sending her notes that she was trying to pay attention, and that they should mind their own business or just go and read _Witch Weekly_ if they believed she was dating Harry.

Finally, thoughts of Rita Skeeter broke the barrier of her mind and furthered her lack of attention. '_How had Rita managed to get onto the grounds to hear what Viktor had to say about me?_' Hermione was pondering this to herself as she stood in line for a test that Moody was giving them on hex-deflection.

Hermione lucked out because she was last in line and managed to escape Moody's hexes for a second round. She already had legs like Jell-o from a Jelly-Legs Jinx which was still wearing off, but she hung back as everyone scrambled out of class. She had something that she needed to ask Moody.

"Professor?"

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

"At the judging for the second task... did you see anyone? Rita Skeeter perhaps in an Invisibility Cloak? Around the judges' table?"

"Well," Moody growled, "I didn't see anyone, but I'll let you know if I do. This about that article everyone is making a fuss over?"

"Yes actually," Hermione admitted.

"I see you at breakfast with that mail you get... Nasty woman for doing that to you," Moody replied. There was a moment's silence and Hermione sighed as she realized that her chances of finding Rita's secret out were getting slim.

"Thanks, Professor," Hermione said at last as she carefully grabbed her bag and made her way out of the classroom on her weak legs. She finally caught up with Harry and Ron as she began to wonder how Rita could be making it onto the grounds without using a cloak to make herself invisible. "Well," Hermione panted, "Rita's definitely not using an Invisibility Cloak! Moody says he didn't see her anywhere near the judges' table at the second task, or anywhere near the lake!"

"Hermione, is there any point in telling you to drop this?"

"No!" Hermione's stubbornness seemed to be annoying Ron, but she wasn't going to listen to him and drop this. "I want to know how she heard me talking to Viktor! _And_ how she found out about Hagrid's mum!"

"Maybe she had you bugged," Harry suggested.

"Bugged?" Ron's expression was full of confusion. "What... put fleas on her or something?"

"No," Harry said as he tried not to laugh. "Putting hidden microphones and things on her to record her conversations and listen in on things." Harry continued to explain how it worked and Ron seemed to be fascinated, but Hermione on the other hand, thought this impossible.

"Are you two _ever_ going to read _Hogwarts, A History_?"

"What's the point? You know it by heart, we can just ask you," Ron said.

"All those substitutes for magic Muggles use – electricity, computers, and radar, and all those things – they all go haywire around Hogwarts, there's too much magic in the air. No, Rita's using magic to eavesdrop, she must be... If I could just find out what it is... ooh, if it's illegal, I'll have her..."

Hermione's face broke into a daydreaming sort of smile as she envisioned capturing Rita and turning her over to Ministry officials who would not only crack her quill, but her wand as well. Getting her to become a bad name for all as a lawbreaker would be an accomplishment that Hermione felt worth life devotion. '_That would stop anyone from suffering as I have._'

"Haven't we got enough to worry about?" Ron's words woke her up from her happy daydream and brought her back to reality where she still hadn't caught Rita or had the slightest idea how to. "Do we have to start a vendetta against Rita Skeeter as well?"

"I'm not asking you to help! I'll do it on my own!" Hermione was sick of Ron's nagging at her. She hadn't asked him to help, and besides, he should help her if he was a true friend who cared anything about stopping those nasty articles about her, Harry, Hagrid, and others.

Hermione stalked off down the third floor corridor, fuming and ranting in her head. '_He's just a selfish git. I wonder some times why I'm even friends with him!_' Suddenly, she rounded a corner and bumped into someone. It was Viktor.

"Oh!" Hermione almost fell, but she caught herself upon the front of Viktor's robes, she still wasn't fully sturdy on her legs. "Why... hello, Viktor," Hermione greeted as she let go and stood up straight.

"Good day, Herm-own-ninny," Viktor said before walking past her. Hermione felt horribly heartbroken. She couldn't even have him as a friend now, what good was that? She felt like the worst person in the world, and the thing that bothered her most was that she felt so helpless and stressed to the point where she believed she had no power in any situation.

Frustration took her over. It swelled in her chest and pushed tears forward as she watched Viktor turn the corner. She needed to get away, to relax. She ran the rest of the way to the Gryffindor Tower, not caring who saw her or who called to her, she wasn't stopping until she got to the safety and comfort of her dorm.

She entered the common room and ran straight for her room. She threw herself upon the bed, her hangings coming loose and closing partly. They blocked out the sun partly, it gave Hermione a visual of just how she felt. Half in the dark about things.

Meanwhile, Cedric was sitting in the Great Hall looking for Hermione. He wanted to see her. He hadn't properly talked to her for a week. There had been the occasional 'hi' in the corridors and the waves and blushes when they saw each other, but they hadn't been able to see each other because Cedric hadn't been on prefect duty as of late.

Ever since Filch had found his prefect badge and turned it over to Snape, who in turn had gotten Professor Sprout, Cedric had been taken off late night duty. They couldn't find him that night, and of course they wouldn't have, so Sprout said that Snape suggested he was in his common room or another room sleeping. She had also said that she felt he should be getting his sleep at night because he was a school champion.

This angered him a bit, but he had presented no argument. Cedric sighed as he thought about going up to the library, maybe he could find Hermione there. And even if he couldn't, he would continue up to the Owlery and send her a letter on when she could meet him.

Cedric exited the Great Hall and was going to start up the marble staircase when he saw Viktor. Viktor glowered at him for a moment before speaking to him.

"Can I haff a vord vith you?"

"Certainly," Cedric answered in all politeness. They stepped off to the shadows of the marble staircase and Viktor seemed to be standing there in a very defensive position. Cedric brow furrowed, but he soon found out why Viktor was so mean toward him.

"I haff really liked Herm-own-ninny since I first seen her... I vood do anything to see her happy... even take her from you-"

"Now wait just a minute!" Cedric wasn't about to be bullied by him, and he wasn't about to have someone tell him to his face that they were going to steal his girlfriend, his Hermione. "I _love_ Hermione and I won't allow anyone to take her from me-"

"Vell, if you ever hurt her, I vill get you back for her. If ever you mess up, I'm going to be right there for her," Viktor said firmly.

"I'm not going to mess up," Cedric reassured him. "I've done told you that I love her and I'm never going to let _any_ harm come to her." Cedric stalked away from Viktor, making his way toward his dormitory in anger, completely forgetting that he was going to go to the library to look for Hermione. Perhaps though, he shouldn't have been so worried for Hermione's safety because little did he know, the loss of one could certainly harm another.

* * *

Easter vacation came at light speed for them all, and Hermione was a bit happy about that. She had been plagued with work for all her classes, but this wasn't all. Harry had came back the night he had went down to the Quidditch pitch to see Bagman, telling them about Mr. Crouch appearing and Viktor being attacked. 

Hermione had initially been worried for Harry, but upon hearing that Viktor was attacked, she made a mental note to go see him. Things just seemed to get worse, though. They had been up all that night talking about Crouch and how he had babbled on. By the next day, they were all dying for sleep and Hermione had a horrid headache from stress.

She wanted to help Harry with the whole Crouch situation, she wanted to get her school work finished, she wanted to go see Viktor, she wanted to spend time with Harry to practice spells and such as Sirius had suggested to them, and she wanted to see Cedric as well as find out how Rita was eavesdropping. But she couldn't do these all at once and it was driving her made. She felt very ill tempered and frustrated as she made her way to the Great Hall for breakfast.

Suddenly someone whistled and she looked up expecting to see the face of Draco Malfoy. Whistling was just the kind of ignorantly rude thing he would do. But instead, it wasn't Draco, it was Cedric. Hermione's brow furrowed as Cedric jerked his head toward the corridor that lead to the Hufflepuff common room.

"He doesn't have to call me like I'm a dog," Hermione grumbled as she walked toward him.

"Hi," Cedric said as he took her hand. They were now bandage free, and he felt the ring he had given her on her ring finger which made him smile. "How are you?"

"Irritated really," Hermione replied shortly.

"Oh... why?"

"I've just got so much on my mind lately. Harry and things for him, my own work, trying to divide up time for everyone... Viktor-"

"Viktor?" Cedric's words came in a shocked sort of choke as he stopped dead next to her and turned to look at her in suspicion. "Why are you worried about him?"

"He was attacked, Cedric," Hermione informed. "Why wouldn't I be worried for him?"

"He's fine... He was just in the library yesterday signing autographs for his little fan club," Cedric said with a bit of annoyance as he recalled how Viktor stood there broodingly signing moving pictures of himself for giggling and whispering girls.

"I'm sensing hostility here, Cedric," Hermione said in a slow, warning tone. "And it isn't like you... What's going on?"

"Hostility? No, just caution," Cedric corrected. "You can't trust hi-"

"Oh no, not you too! First Ron, then Hagrid, and now you! I'm so sick of this," Hermione hissed. Ron had been so mean to her about Viktor, but she had finally gotten over his jealousy of Viktor. Then Hagrid had scolded her two days after Mr. Crouch had turned up on the grounds that night. Now Cedric was being skeptical toward Viktor and he didn't even really know him.

Hermione could stand no more. She yanked her hand from his grasp, turned on her heel quickly, and stalked off. As she went, Cedric recalled how Cho used to do that. Was it a thing with all girl, or just the ones that he picked?

Hermione made her way out onto the grounds. She was sure that she would find Viktor on the Durmstrang ship. She had been most certainly right too. There he was, in swimming trunks, getting ready to dive into the lake. She hurried down the sloping lawns toward the ship, her legs carrying her as fast as she could go.

"Viktor!" He looked up at her as she stopped at the lake's shore. He squinted at her and held up a finger to tell her just a minute as he got down off the ship's railing and disappeared below the deck.

He emerged minutes later, fully dressed and looking thoroughly happy to see her. He walked over and took a seat next to her on the large rock under the tree. They were silent for a few minutes as Hermione sighed and watched a leaf float upon the water's placid surface. Viktor sat there, staring at her with a longing as she finally spoke up.

"So, how are you doing? I mean... since... that night," Hermione asked.

"Fine. I haff never been better. Vhat about you?"

"Oh, I'm good. I've been really busy with school work, though. I'm just sorry I didn't get to come see you earlier," Hermione apologized.

"It's all right," Viktor said softly as he smiled gently at her. It was something strange to see him smile, but Hermione returned the smile gratefully. It was nice to be in comforting company with all of the stress she was under lately. Silence enveloped them once more and Hermione felt a nervous feeling growing in her as she noticed her was staring at her in a transfixed way.

"I uh- I also never got to apologize for Rita's nasty article... I'm not dating Harry and I'm sure you know that," Hermione said with a half-hearted laugh.

"Yes, I know." Chills started to creep up Hermione's back. She would have given anything to see another student walking around the desert grounds, but no one was in sight. Hagrid wasn't even outside of his cabin and there was no one on the deck of the Durmstrang ship.

"So, speaking of Harry... What happened that night?"

"I vood rather not talk about it," Viktor said firmly. Hermione took the hint and nodded as she drew her knees up to her chin and wrapped her arms around her legs, hugging them to her chest.

"What uh- what would you like to talk about?" Hermione couldn't stand the silence between them. She then realized that she preferred the way things had been when he would just say hi and then pass her by. She didn't feel so nervous or scared then.

"Us." Hermione's head shot up off her knees and she looked over at him as he stood up and brought his lips toward hers. She froze, she had no idea what to do. Should she jinx him? He was only mere inches from her now as she spoke up rather loudly.

"Wait! What are you doing?"

"Herm-own-ninny, I really care about you," he whispered as he stared into her eyes. "You should be vith me and not Diggory." Cedric's name sounded like poison coming out of his mouth and it made Hermione shiver. She didn't like this situation and she really wished now she hadn't given Cedric hard time.

"I've got to go," Hermione announced stiffly as she let her legs unfold and made to slide down off the rock.

"Please, Herm-own-ninny... Don't go," Viktor pleaded, but Hermione wasn't going to listen as she slipped past him and started along the shore. He wasn't about to have her deny him, though as he grabbed her wrist and spun her around to face him. Her bracelet broke and cut her arm as the sharp bit of chain scraped across her skin.

She winced and in the time it took her to register the pain, Viktor's lips came crashing down upon hers. She felt the inside of her lip burst against her teeth and blood contaminate her mouth with its copper tang. She used all her might to push Viktor off as she took off running away from him for the castle.


	24. Apologies & Sunsets

Chapter 24 – Apologies & Sunsets

Cedric had been sitting in the Great Hall, his eyes on the door to the entrance hall. He was waiting on Hermione to enter, he needed to apologize to her. He felt horrible for the fight that they had just had, and he knew that he shouldn't have acted so.

Much to his surprise, Hermione did enter, but not in the way he had expected. She had came running in, her hair flying behind her, and what looked like a distraught expression on her face. He rose quickly fro his seat, running out of the Great Hall in pursuit of her.

"Hermione!" She wasn't stopping though. So, Cedric slipped up a flight of stairs and down a corridor to head her off. He caught her just as she came around the corner of the third floor corridor. "Hermione!"

"I'm sorry," she wailed before throwing herself into his arms and sobbing violently.

"Sorry? You shouldn't be sorry," Cedric soothed. "It's me that should be sorry."

"No, no! I'm sorry... I didn't want him to kiss me," Hermione bawled as she raised her head to look at him. He couldn't bare to see her ears red and puffy like they were, tears clinging to her eyelashes and fear in her eyes.

"Who kissed you? Krum?"

"Yes-s," she hiccuped. "I didn't want him to, but he did it anyways!" She pressed her face to his chest once more as she was overcome with a fresh wave of tears.

"Shhh," Cedric cooed as he hugged her tightly. "I'll just have a word with h-"

"No! Please don't," Hermione cried. "Just let it go... I want nothing more to do with him."

"All right, all right," Cedric whispered as he stroked the back of her hair. "I won't say anything." He listened to her sobs for a moment, they lessened with each passing moment he held her, and that's when he realized he should apologize. "Hermione, I'm terribly sorry for giving you such a hard time about Krum, though."

"It's f-"

"No, it's not fine. I should have explained myself before I snapped at you like that. I just didn't trust him because he said that he was willing to take you away from me," Cedric sighed. "I was just afraid that he might actually be able to do that."

"You were?"

"Yes," Cedric admitted.

"I would never let him," Hermione assured him as she sniffled. Cedric smiled at her sweetly and wiped her cheeks gently with his thumbs as he cupped her face in his hands.

He leaned down, his lips connecting with hers in a watery, but tender kiss. It was short, but comforting to them both at the same time. He pulled away, Hermione opening her eyes which were still sparkling with tears. He didn't care that this kiss was watery because he knew that her lips were moist from tears that only he could dry for her.

"C'mon... let's go to the Astronomy Tower for some fresh air," Cedric suggested as he grabbed her hand and pulled her gently toward the stairs.

* * *

Hermione and Cedric had spent the next few days sneaking up to the Astronomy Tower to be together, sitting and reading Cedric's Christmas gift to Hermione in the comfort of each other's company as Hermione read aloud. But on one particular night, Hermione lost track of time as she sat talking with Harry and Ron. Harry had been in Dumbledore's office and saw something quite extraordinary. 

He said there had been a stone basin thing in one of Dumbledore's cabinets and it had been swirling with silver liquid. He continued to say that he got pulled into Dumbledore's memories and he watched trials of Death Eaters. He said that he saw how Crouch convicted his son.

Harry also said that he talked to Dumbledore about Voldemort and the trials he had seen. Once Harry had finished telling them these things, they felt thoroughly disturbed, but Ron finally broke the silence.

"Dumbledore reckons You-Know-Who's getting stronger again as well? And he trusts Snape? He really trusts Snape, even though he knows he was a Death Eater?"

"Yes," Harry replied. Snape was one of the ones that Harry had seen on trial for accusations of being a Death Eater along with Barty Crouch, Jr.

Hermione was too stunned for words. She had just heard things about people she trusted and would never like to think could be possible for them to be involved in. She put her forehead in her hands and stared at her knees. She was fascinated with the way the firelight danced upon her own skin, giving it a shimmering orange glow.

"Rita Skeeter," Hermione finally spoke up.

"How can you be worrying about her now?" Ron's voice sounded disbelieving and slightly annoyed at Hermione's mention of the evil reporter's name.

"I'm not worrying about her. I'm just thinking... remember what she said to me in the Three Broomsticks? 'I know things about Ludo Bagman that would make your hair curl.' This is what she meant," Hermione sighed, "isn't it? She reported his trial, she knew he's passed information to the Death Eaters. And Winky too, remember... 'Ludo Bagman's a bad wizard.' Mr. Crouch would have been furious he got off, he would have talked about it at home."

"Yeah, but Bagman didn't pass information on purpose, did he?" Ron sounded as though he was trying to save Bagman from becoming a bad name to them, and quite frankly, anyone who had known him like the three of them would have wanted to too. "And Fudge reckons _Madame Maxime_ attacked Crouch?"

"Yeah," Harry answered Ron, "but he's only saying that because Crouch disappeared near the Beauxbatons carriage."

"We never thought of her, did we? Mind you," Ron said, "she's definitely got giant blood and she doesn't want to admit it-"

"Of course she doesn't," Hermione interrupted. "Look what happened to Hagrid when Rita found out about his mother. Look at Fudge, jumping to conclusions about her, just because she's part giant. Who needs that sort of prejudice? I'd probably say I had big bones if I knew that's what I'd get for telling the truth."

Hermione looked down at her watch and realized that she was now one half hour late on meeting Cedric. She had to find a way to get away from the boys, though. Suddenly something popped into her head.

"We haven't done any practicing! We were going to do the Impediment Curse! We'll have to really get down to it tomorrow! Come on, Harry, you need to get some sleep," Hermione pressed.

Much to her pleasure, both boys rose from their seats and went upstairs, leaving her alone. She pulled out her wand, checked her reflection in a window pane, and summoned Harry's Invisibility Cloak to her. She had borrowed it from him only a week ago, and still had not given it back. She would, though, all in good time when she didn't need to sneak out late at night anymore.

She sneaked out of the common room and down the seventh floor corridor to the Astronomy Tower. She was on her way up the stairs when she ran into someone. She gasped and held her breath as she strained to see who was there. It was Cedric.

"Cedric?"

"Hermione?"

"Boy, am I glad it's you," Hermione sighed as she pulled off the cloak, light flooding the stairs from her wand. "I thought I was about to be in some serious tro-"

"Oh, but you are," said a voice from behind the both of them. Hermione whipped around and gasped as she saw Filch standing before them. He was grinning evilly as he held up a lantern, light reflecting again a crooked yellow grimace that was his twisted smile.

Hermione backed up a few steps until she bumped into Cedric. She fiddled with the cloak, hoping Filch wouldn't notice as he congratulated his cat on helping him find the two students. Without warning though, Hermione and Cedric had disappeared. While Filch wasn't looking, Hermione had slipped the cloak over their heads and they had raced up the stairs and out onto the roof.

They heard Filch's angered yells as he searched the room below for them, his voice filtering out the open windows, but he never found them. He grumbled and complained as he left the tower with his cat, Mrs. Norris. Once Filch was gone, Hermione and Cedric opened the trap door on the roof and peeked down in.

"I don't see him," Hermione whispered as Cedric pulled her back up.

"I think... it's best that we... stay up here for a while, though," Cedric panted as he let the door down easily so that it didn't make noise.

"Yeah," Hermione sighed as she leaned against the stone wall. Cedric crawled over to her and wrapped his arms around her. He listened to her sigh in a contented way which made him smile and flush a bit.

He was happy to know that he could make someone else so happy. He wanted her to know how much she meant to him, but words just didn't seem like enough of an explanation to sum it all up. He thought about it for a minute, and finally he decide that he had to tell her even if he couldn't fit it into words the way he would have liked.

"Hermione?"

"Hmm?" Her voice sounded sleepy as her head rested on his shoulder, but he paid no attention to this as he tried to think of the first thing to say.

"I need to tell you something," Cedric sighed in preparation. He suddenly felt a bit nervous, but as he opened his mouth, he was interrupted.

Hermione snored softly and snuggled up to him as he craned his next to see her. She was asleep in his arms. He chuckled softly to himself as he let her continue to sleep for the next half hour. He just sat there, figuring that it gave him more time to contemplate what he had to say to her.

He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head as he nuzzled his nose into her hair. It had a sweet smell of blueberries and cream with a hint of lilac. An intoxicating scent that carried him away. He leaned his head down on hers as he saw a shooting star pass over them.

"Make a wish, Cedric," he said to himself. He closed his eyes and squeezed Hermione tight as his mind worked to think of a wish. "I wish that... Hermione could be truly happy," Cedric said at last. Little did he know, she was already truly happy just as she was, wrapped in his arms asleep. Little did he know that he had just wasted a wish that should have been wishing for safety for the both of them, harm to be a stranger to them both.

Cedric stirred a bit, but Hermione did not wake. He had no idea what to do with her, she wasn't waking. So, he made up his mind within about three minutes as he stood up, picked her up in his arms bridal style, and grabbed the cloak. He made his way carefully down the ladder into the Astronomy Tower and laid her back down for a moment as he tossed the cloak over himself and picked her back up in his arms.

He carried her down the seventh floor corridor, down six flights of stairs to the entrance hall. From there, he made his way to the Hufflepuff common room. Once inside, he went up to his dorm that he shared with three other boys, and slipped Hermione into his bed. He changed into his pajamas, crawled into bed, pulled the hangings, and then snuggled up to Hermione, pulling the blankets over the both of them.

* * *

The next morning, Hermione went to stretch, but found her arm trapped. She squinted against the dim light that made its way into the crack in the yellow hangings. '_WAIT! Yellow hangings!_' 

Panic took over Hermione as she realized that she was not in her own bed. Her hangings were red, not yellow. She looked around frantically and spotted the source which trapped her left arm. Cedric's head was resting peacefully upon it, but this did nothing for her panicked state.

She gasped as she pulled back the covers and looked to see that both of them were still fully clothed. She sighed with relief as she saw that he had on blue and white striped pajama pants and a muscle shirt and that she still had on her school uniform. She smiled sweetly as he gave a gentle snore as she pulled her arm from under his head as easily as she could.

She slipped out of the bed, found her shoes and the cloak, put them both on, and slipped out of the sixth year Hufflepuff boys' dorm. She made her way through the common room unnoticed and out into the hallway. She raced back up to the Gryffindor Tower, hurriedly got ready and hoped that Harry and Ron hadn't missed her.

She made her way down to breakfast and saw that she was the first of the trio to make it there. She settled down for a peaceful breakfast as she realized that she had enjoyed sleeping in Cedric's company last night. He hadn't tried to invade her privacy and it was like a dream to sleep in his strong Quidditch toned arms.

Hermione smiled to herself as she poked at a sausage with her fork. She had never been so happy. She wasn't alone for much longer after this, though as Harry and Ron joined her, both looking rather tired from the night before. After breakfast, they set off for their first classes, and then at lunch time, they went to the empty Transfigurations classroom to help Harry practice Impediment Curses.

Later that night at dinner, Hermione spotted Cedric across the Great Hall and blushed as he cocked an eyebrow and looked at her with a cheeky smile. She grinned sheepishly and tried not to giggle as he winked at her and then nodded toward the Great Hall doors. They got up and left dinner early to take a walk out on the grounds.

Many more of their nights were spent just like this, leaving dinner early to bask in each other's company. They had canceled their late night excursions due to their almost getting caught, but that night wasn't the last time Hermione had sneaked into the Hufflepuff common room under the Invisibility Cloak with Cedric. They made a weekly occurrence of this, Hermione coming down every Friday clear into June.

Around the middle of June, Hermione and Ron could be found in the empty Transfigurations classroom, still helping Harry practice curses. They were just finishing up on practice when Ron called their attention to the window. He was pointing to something and looking vaguely puzzled.

"Come and look at this," he said. "What's Malfoy doing?"

"He looks like he's using a walkie-talkie," Harry said in the same puzzled way a few moments later after he and Hermione had joined Ron at the window. Draco Malfoy was standing with Crabbe and Goyle while talking into his hand.

"He can't be," Hermione reasoned. "I've told you, those sorts of things don't work around Hogwarts. Come on, Harry, let's try that Shield Charm again."

* * *

June the twenty-third arrived very soon for everyone. Hermione had been working her best to keep up with school work, helping Harry, and meeting Cedric. She had even dropped her obsession with catching Rita Skeeter for the moment, wanting desperately to put down anything that she could to make more time for other things. 

She had sat her exams, her last one on the next day, but right now she was searching the dinner hall for Cedric. He was nowhere to be found for the first ten minutes. He had usually taken to walking her to dinner and lunch even, but he just wasn't there now.

Hermione's brow knitted as she abandoned her uneaten food and continued to stare about the Great Hall. Then, suddenly, her eyes landed on Cedric. He was standing at the door of the Great Hall motioning for her to come and join him. She smiled broadly and bounded from her seat toward him. He grabbed her hand and without a word, led her out onto the grounds.

They didn't speak until Hermione noticed that Cedric was leading her to the Quidditch pitch. She knew that the third task was to be held down here, both Harry and Cedric had told her so. And it dawned on her that Cedric shouldn't be down here because he could be accused of cheating.

"Cedric? Why are we going down here?"

"You'll see," Cedric said as he pulled her out of the dim light that lit the grounds. The sun was slowly starting to set, it's bright orange glow casting the last warmth of the day upon the already dew covered grass.

"But you shouldn't-"

"I know, I know," Cedric laughed as he pulled her inside the stands and up the stairs toward one of the towers. "But I promise you that's not what I'm here for."

Hermione still eyed him suspiciously as he led her into the seats of one of the wooden towers that was mounted and towering about the students' stands. Hermione looked around the many seats and saw that there was a blanket, her book, four bottles of butterbeer, and some cakes and pastries.

"Did you-," Cedric said nothing to her question, he just simply nodded and pulled her down into a seat. She sighed contentedly as he opened the book to the next to last chapter and began to read.

She made no bother to stop him as she sat there with her head on his shoulder, listening to his soothing voice read aloud to her. She was reminded of how her father would read to her as her mother sat on her bed with her and brushed her hair. She smiled and breathed deeply, his cologne tingling her nostrils and making her skin break out in goose flesh.

He smelt wonderful. His cologne was a mixture of amber, musk, and a light cedar scent. It was a dreamy, entrancing smell that made her want to close her eyes and breath it forever.

"Are you awake?" He laughed as she sighed dreamily and looked up at him with a smile of pure delight.

"Yes, I'm awake," Hermione replied playfully as she traced an imaginary line over his chest with her fingertip. She wrapped her arms tightly around him when he laid the book down and picked up his butterbeer, lacing an arm around her shoulder and staring off into the sunset.

They watched the colors sinking. The yellow of the sky the first to disappear behind the trees of the Forbidden Forest as the orange twinge of the sky danced upon the trees' leaves. Hermione stared at the sky, clouds a dark neon pink and the rest of the sky a bright, vivid red.

It was warming just looking at the sky's color. Within the next few minutes, the orange had all sunk behind the trees as the sun and Earth made their orbit of each other. The sky was left with nothing but red, even the clouds had soaked up the color and changed from the dark neon pink to a red orange color.

With each passing moment, the sky became a darker and darker red color. By eight o'clock, it was a blood red and the clouds were a cranberry color. Hermione remembered what her father had said about a sky like this once. He had told her that a red sky at night was a sailor's delight and a mother's fright. He was the only one she had ever heard say this, but she believed it.

"Neat, isn't it?"

"Hmm?"

"The sky, I mean," Cedric said quietly. "How it can be so different all the time. It changes in a matter of seconds."

"Yeah," Hermione breathed as she snuggled into Cedric's chest. She would rather be nowhere else in the world at that very moment, or any moment for that matter.

"I guess we had better get back up to the castle, shouldn't we?"

"Yeah, I suppose we should," Hermione agreed as she sat up. Cedric grabbed the bottles, the blanket, and the left over pastries while Hermione grabbed the book. They were no their way out when the first star of the night became visible. A shooting star to be exact.

Both backs turned on the red sky, they missed the white streak of beauty. It was their one chance for redemption. Gone in a fleeting second and never to be seen by them again. Cedric smiled at Hermione unknowingly as he grabbed her hand and they descended the stairs, both unaware of what horrors lie within the coming day.


	25. A Frightening Task

Chapter 25 – A Frightening Task

By the next morning, Hermione awoke in Cedric's arms in his dorm. It had been one of their nights together and Hermione had never been more contented as she slept next to the shirtless and handsome boy. She smiled and kissed his cheek as she slipped out of bed, under her cloak, and made her way out of the Hufflepuff common room.

She entered the Gryffindor Tower to see that most everyone was still asleep. She bounded up the stairs, taking advantage of her good luck and got her things for a bath. She entered the bathroom and turned on the hot water, steam issuing from the tap within seconds. She slipped in the water and relaxed, the heat of the water making her shiver as the cool air danced across her exposed skin.

After her bath, she went down to breakfast with Harry and Ron. They sat there looking at the good-luck card Sirius had sent Harry when the _Daily Prophet_ arrived for Hermione. She took the paper, gave the owl the money, and unfolded it as the owl took flight. She was taking a drink of pumpkin juice as she scanned the front cover, her eyes landing on a rather large headline and a picture.

In capital, bold black letters were the words: '_HARRY POTTER "DISTURBED AND DANGEROUS"_' and Harry's picture was just below it. Hermione spat out her pumpkin juice on the article, causing Harry and Ron to jump in surprise. They gaped at her as she folded the paper hastily.

"What?" Harry and Ron were staring at her with twin puzzled expression as she shook her head.

"Nothing," Hermione shrugged as Ron grabbed the paper from her and began to read.

"No way. Not today. That old _cow_," Ron said.

"What? Rita Skeeter again?"

"No," Ron replied to Harry in a voice that just screamed that he was guilty of hiding something. '_Ron, you idiot_' Hermione thought heatedly.

"It's about me, isn't it?" Hermione really didn't want to answer Harry's question, so she decided to change the subject, but before she could, she was interrupted.

"Hey, Potter! _Potter!_ How's your head? You feeling all right? Sure you're not going to go berserk on us?" Draco Malfoy was yelling across the Great Hall as he held up a copy of the paper, all the Slytherins chuckling along with him.

"Let me see it," Harry demanded to Ron who looked extremely reluctant. "Give it here." Ron handed over the paper finally and Harry began to read. Hermione watched him carefully, trying hard to read his expression. She expected him to blow up, but his reaction was just the opposite as he folded up the paper. "Gone off a bit, hasn't see?"

"How did she know your scar hurt in Divination? There's no way she was there," Ron said, "there's no way she could've heard-"

"The window was open," Harry reminded him. "I opened it to breathe."

"You were at the top of the North Tower! Your voice couldn't have carried down to the grounds," Hermione exclaimed.

"Well, you're the one who's supposed to be researching magical methods of bugging! You tell me how she did it!"

"I've been trying! But I... but...," Hermione couldn't bring herself to make up an excuse for why she hadn't been in the library at nights during dinner like she had said she was. She ran her fingers though her hair as she thought to herself. '_I should have known by now how Rita has been able to bug_-' Hermione's thoughts stopped here. Bug? Bug.

She ran her fingers through her hair again as Ron and Harry exchanged worried looks. Her mouth twitched a bit with a smile as her brain began to piece things together. Rita Skeeter being a bug. That was the answer.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes," Hermione replied to Ron trying to sound a little less than hysterical. "I've had an idea. I think I know... because then no one would be able to see... even Moody... and she's have been able to get onto the window ledge... but she's not allowed... she's _definitely_ not allowed... I think we've got her! Just give me two seconds in the library – just to make sure!"

Hermione had to go research Animagus people and what types of things that they could turn into. She ran start for the back of the library, she had had this book she wanted out before once she found about Sirius. His transformations intrigued her and she wanted to learn more.

Hermione pulled the book hastily off the shelf and began to search through it. Her hands stopped flipping the pages suddenly as she saw what she was looking for. Just as she thought, an Animagus could change into anything. Even a bug.

That was it, that was how Rita Skeeter was getting all her information. She had been the bug in Hermione's hair that Viktor was talking about. She had listened that way. She had been on the window sill in Harry's Divination class, that's how she knew about him. Draco Malfoy had been talking to her as she sat in hand. And she had obviously found out about Hagrid the same way.

Hermione bounded out of the library, the evil glares of Madam Pince following her, but she didn't make it too far as she ran into someone. She looked up to see none other than Viktor Krum. He was looking quite stern and grumpy, as usual, but upon seeing Hermione, his expression softened.

"Hello, Herm-own-ninny," Viktor greeted. His voice suggested that he expected her to snub him or give him a cold greeting if she gave one at all, but her recent good news in finding out what she had kept her spirits up.

"Good afternoon, Viktor," Hermione greeted as she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. "Good luck with the third task tonight!" With that, Hermione let go and practically skipped down the hall in delight. She was on her way to her first class for her History of Magic exam.

* * *

Hermione went down to dinner that night, nothing on her mind except supporting Harry and Cedric. She hoped that if Cedric or Harry wouldn't win, that Viktor would, but she was too busy trying to figure out whether she wanted Cedric or Harry to win more. 

She looked over at Harry, he seemed to be nervous because he wasn't eating. She smiled and patted him on the arm. He forced a weak smile and nodded while sitting there with his head bowed. She noticed that he wasn't eating and she hoped that he was only doing that in hopes of keeping from getting sick.

Hermione was about to say something to him about eating when Dumbledore stood up. She felt anticipation building within her chest as she looked around the Great Hall. Cedric seemed to be not eating as well, but he looked a bit more colorful than Harry who was almost ghostly white.

"Ladies and gentlemen, in five minutes' time, I will be asking you to make your way down to the Quidditch field for the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament. Will the champions please follow Mr. Bagman down to the stadium now," Dumbledore announced to the crowd and champions.

Cedric stood up, his eyes on Hermione. She whispered good luck to Harry, winked at Cedric and blew him a small kiss as he smiled and left the Great Hall. Ron grimaced, Hermione noticed that he was glaring at Viktor. He shook his head at her and she tried not to laugh. Obviously, Ron thought that Hermione had blown Viktor a kiss.

Hermione sat there nervously as she imagined congratulating Harry or Cedric when the came out of the maze as the winner. She smiled as she imagined it being Cedric, him wrapping his arms around her and kissing her to tremendous applause. Ginny nudged her as Hermione realized that there was a stupid smiling and dreamy expression on her face.

"C'mon... it's time," Ginny said as Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, Bill, and Ron rose from their seats to start down to the stadium. Hermione followed them down in excited silence, filed into the stands and took her seat as her eyes landed on Cedric and Harry who were standing at the entrance of the maze with Viktor, Bagman, and Fleur.

"Hey, where did you get those?" Hermione turned to see Ron talking to Ginny who grinned sheepishly and shrugged as she held a pair of golden binoculars.

"Out of your trunk," she replied as Ron looked angrily shocked.

"You were-"

"Ladies and gentlemen," roared Ludo Bagman with a magnified voice, "the third task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin! Let me remind you how the points currently stand! Tied in first place, with eight-five points each – Mr. Cedric Diggory and Mr. Harry Potter, both of Hogwarts school!"

Hermione jumped up out of her seat and applauded as loudly as she possibly could as the rest of the crowd applauded to this. She was beaming from ear-to-ear as Ludo Bagman continued to speak. She took her seat, blushing as she realized that Ginny was trying not to laugh while Ron shook his head at her.

"In second place," continued Bagman, "with eight points – Mr. Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang Institute!" Hermione applauded, but she didn't jump out of her seat this time. "And in third place – Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy!"

Hermione glared at Ron as he whistled and yelled with great clapping that turned his palms red. She elbowed him as Harry waved at them, Hermione and the Weasley's waving back at him as Bagman's voice roared out over the crowd yet again.

"So... on my whistle, Harry and Cedric! Three – two – one-," there was a blast from his whistle and the two Hogwarts champions went into the maze, side-by-side.

Hermione watched the both of them draw their wands and light them simultaneously. Hermione watched them running forward for a ways before coming to a fork in the maze. Cedric looked over at Harry and then they split up, Cedric going right and harry going left. As they split, Hermione heard Bagman's whistle and noticed that Viktor went running into the maze.

Viktor went the same way as Cedric, but Cedric had taken another right and by the time Viktor got to where Cedric had taken a turn, he went left instead of the right Cedric had taken. Bagman's whistle blew again and Fleur went running into the maze, her silken blond hair flying out behind her as she went. Hermione rolled her eyes as Ron yanked the Ominoculars out of Ginny's hand, choking her with the strap that was around her neck.

"Ron," Mrs. Weasley hissed as Ginny sat there turning purple and grabbing at the strap on her neck.

"Oh... sorry, Gin," Ron mumbled as he let go and blushed a bit. Ginny took the Ominoculars off and laid them on the railing, Hermione picking them up and looking for Cedric.

She spotted him at once. He was taking a left turn and Hermione gasped as he did. Cedric came face-to-face with a huge Blast-Ended Skrewt. It raised up and Cedric backed up as he pointed his wand on it. Cedric sent a spell at it, but it only bounded off it's extremely protective shell and went soaring up into the air. Cedric looked wide-eyed as the Skrewt sent a blast of fire at him, propelling itself toward him. Cedric jumped up on top of it, ran down over its back, and was heading toward another turn as the Skrewt blasted off again.

The fire from its end hit Cedric's sleeve, but he didn't bother to stop. He only patted his arm and ran faster down the path between the twenty-foot high hedges. She watched him take a left and saw that he was nearing Harry. She bit down on her lip as she saw Harry become alarmed and draw his wand, ready to cast a spell. When Cedric came around the corner though, Harry lowered his wand as the two began to talk, Hermione unable to make out what they were saying.

They didn't talk for long, though. Cedric went jogging off into another path in front of him as Harry continued on in another direction. She was getting ready to go back to where Cedric was when she saw something that scared her a bit. Harry was turning a corner and in the path he was turning into was a dementor.

Harry seemed to register shock only for a second before he contorted his face into concentration. He raised his wand, pointing it at the tall, hooded figure that was gliding toward him. Hermione herself shivered as Harry's hair ruffled in the chilling air that surrounded the evil creature. Then, suddenly, he shouted something and a bright silver stag burst from his wand tip.

The dementor tripped. This confused Hermione and apparently Harry as well as he stood there looking slightly perplexed. Then something seemed to have dawned on him as he raised his wand again and sent a spell at the fallen dementor. It disappeared into a wisp of smoke and Harry wasted no time in continuing to advance.

Hermione now turned her attention to Cedric who was making yet another turn into a path where there was a dead end. He doubled back, taking a different path and continuing on. It seemed, as Hermione looked ahead of Cedric that he wouldn't run into any obstacles if he continued on this path. She saw Viktor a little ways off.

He was making his way along, slowly, creeping as though trying to sneak up on someone. She shrugged this off figuring he was only being cautious about obstacles and turned her attention to Fleur. She had screamed, but Hermione couldn't see her anywhere. Figuring that Ron would find her for her, she turned her attention to Harry.

He was standing in a golden mist and seemed to be struggling within himself. His hair was on end and he was clutching his glasses to his face. She screwed up her face in confusion as Bill leaned over to his mother who was clutching the railing in front of her as she watched Harry with a pale expression.

"He's under the impression that he's upside-down," Bill informed her. "He's not in any pain."

Ginny giggled as Mrs. Weasley nodded fervently and leaned back in her seat. Bill patted his mother's back and Hermione sighed with a fondness for the woman as she turned her attention back to the task. Harry had managed to escape the mist and was continuing forward.

"No Harry!" Hermione jumped at Mrs. Weasley's words as she saw a little further up the path Harry was on that there was a Blast-Ended Skrewt. Harry spotted it and looked horrified as he raised a shaking wand at the creature which was standing there menacingly.

Harry sent a Stunning Charm (Hermione could tell by the color) at the Skrewt, but it only bounced off its tough shell and rebounded at Harry. Hermione gasped as the spell singed the top of Harry's hair while the Skrewt blasted itself toward him. Harry continued to send spells at the Skrewt. One, no help. Two, that did it. It hit the Skrewt's underside and it fell to the ground as it flew through the air.

Hermione sighed with relief and turned her attention to Cedric who was in the row of hedges right next to Harry's. She noticed too that Viktor was on the same path as Cedric. They were headed right for one another, but there was something funny about Viktor's expression. He looked slightly withdrawn and a bit crazed, not his usual grumpy expression.

Suddenly he ran into Cedric and drew his wand at him, pointing it squarely at Cedric's chest. Hermione gasped and watched Cedric yell at Viktor who showed no signs of backing down. She watched Harry trying desperately to get to Cedric as Viktor cast a spell at Cedric. She screamed as Cedric dropped to the ground and began to writhe and wriggle about upon the grass while Viktor stood over him.

Much to her relief, Harry burst through the hedge and caused Viktor to stop as he tried to run off. Harry was too quick for him though as he stunned Krum and watched him fall to the ground before checking on Cedric.

"What was Krum on about?"

"I told you he's no good," Ron hissed in answer to Bill as Ginny and Mrs. Weasley sat looking just as terrified as Hermione.

"I- I can't believe... he just attacked him," Hermione stuttered breathlessly as she watched Harry and Cedric send up red sparks for the retrieval of Krum's stunned body. They stood there for a moment over Krum's motionless body before Cedric said something and then the two of them went up the dark path together.

For a third time that task, they parted ways, Cedric going right and Harry left. Hermione's eyes watched Cedric with worry. She had figured that the biggest threat in the maze for him would be the obstacles, not another champion. What had made Viktor do such a thing, use something that looked at lot like one of the Unforgivable Curses?

She sighed heavily, trying to release her anxiety as she looked around for Harry, the only other champion left in the maze now. She spotted him. He was standing at a stop, faced with a great lion-bodied creature that had the head of a woman. It was a sphinx and she was pacing in Harry's path, preventing him from further progress into the maze.

The sphinx was talking to him and Harry seemed to be at ease, but not totally off his guard. The sphinx inclined its head a bit as Harry spoke, Hermione unsure of just what he said as the sphinx sat down upon its hind legs. She seemed to be reciting something to Harry, but Harry didn't seem to understand what she was saying.

The sphinx concluded speaking with Harry and sat there with a mysterious smile upon her face as Harry seemed to be deep in thought. Hermione sat on baited hooks as Harry stood there, working something out. She wanted desperately to be able to run down into the maze and help, but she had to remain in her seat.

Unable to look at Harry any longer, she scanned the maze for Cedric. She didn't see hi at first, this made her panic. Had he sent up sparks to be rescued while she was watching Harry? Her heart beat faster and faster in her chest, and then she saw something. Just out of the corner of the Ominoculars vision range, she saw something running along a path.

It was Cedric. She breathed a sigh of relief as she looked to see what he was running from, but she wasn't watching long as Ginny gasped. Hermione lowered the Ominoculars and looked to Ginny who had one hand to her mouth and one pointing in Harry's direction. Hermione quickly looked back to Harry and saw that the sphinx was standing up.

It stretched its legs and smiled mischievously before stepping aside. Ginny and Hermione let out a sigh of relief as one and watched Harry dash onward. He stopped only for a second to use a spell Hermione had invented, the Point Me Spell. She smiled at her usefulness, but then frowned as she wished she had shown Cedric that spell. But her frown didn't stay in place long as she saw Harry nearing the center of the maze where she could see a glinting gold thing.

'_That must be the Triwizard Cup_' Hermione thought as she looked ahead to the shining piece in the center of the maze. Then she saw him, Cedric. He was sprinting after it. Her heart sank a bit as she looked back to Harry who was standing there looking defeated, but his expression changed quickly.

Hermione's brow knitted itself together just above her nose as she watched Harry yell something and point. Hermione's eyes and the Ominoculars shot in that direction just in time to see Cedric diving out of the way of something massive that was running toward him. She gasped and felt her heart skip a beat as Cedric's lighted wand went flying from his hand and a giant spider advanced on him.

Harry ran forward, coming into the range of vision of Hermione's Ominoculars as he cast Stunning Charms at the enormous spider. His spell had no effect whatsoever on the huge creature, none except turning it on him. The spider ran at him and Hermione heard Bill yelp in pain as Mrs. Weasley seemingly dug her nails into his forearm in fear.

Harry hurtled one spell after another at the charging spider, but it seemed to do no good to stop it or even slow it down. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny screamed in unison as Harry was picked up by the spider's front legs. Hermione dropped the Ominoculars into her lap and buried her face into Ron's shoulder. She couldn't bare to look anymore.

Suddenly Ron cheered and made Hermione sit up, handing her the Ominoculars as he shouted. Hermione looked into them quickly. The spider had dropped Harry and he and Cedric had just sent simultaneous Stunning Charms at the spider's belly. The spider dropped to its side, rolling over onto its back and squashing the hedges next to it.

Cedric helped Harry up, checking to see that he was all right. Hermione felt tears prick her eyes and a warm swell in her heart for Cedric as he and Harry seemed to be discussing something. They were both looking from the cup to each other and then back again. Strangely enough, Cedric moved a few steps away from the cup as he and Harry continued to talk.

"What are they doing?"

"I'm not sure, Gin," Bill replied absentmindedly.

"Run for it, Harry," Ron bellowed.

They seemed to be arguing now, or at least Harry was as he looked angry with Cedric as Cedric stepped closer to Harry. For a moment or two more, they stood there, Cedric looking stubborn and Harry looking angrily pained. Then, much to everyone's surprise, Cedric seized Harry under his shoulder and the two of them walked slowly toward the Triwizard Cup.

Hermione smiled broadly with tears streaming from her eyes as she stood up to get a better look with the Ominoculars as Cedric and Harry both reached up for a handle of the Cup. She drew in a deep breath, ready to cheer as loudly as she could when their hands touched the handle. She held her breath, though, and the smile was immediately striped from her face as the two of them disappeared.


	26. Wishing to Wake From A Nightmare

Chapter 26 – Wishing to Wake From A Nightmare

"Where did they go?"

"I don't know, Ron... I don't remember there being anything like this being mentioned by Bagman," Bill said as he, Ron, and Hermione stared at the spot where Cedric and Harry had just been.

"Mum!" Hermione turned to see Ginny looked horrified as Mrs. Weasley fainted. Ron and Bill struggled to keep her in her seat as Hermione felt the bottom of her stomach drop out. Where were they?

Meanwhile, Cedric and Harry were flying forward, colors swirling around them, and a whistling sound in their ears. Suddenly, they stopped, Harry and Cedric both collapsing to the ground.

"Where are we?"

Cedric couldn't find the breath to speak so he simply shook his head as he got up and then pulled Harry to his feet as they examined their surroundings. This hadn't been mentioned in the task. Where were they?

They were standing in a dark and overgrown graveyard. There was a small church to the right with a large yew tree next to it. On their left was a hill with a fine looking mansion on its side. Cedric couldn't quite figure out what was going on as he looked from the Cup to Harry.

"Did anyone tell _you_ the cup was a Portkey?"

"Nope," Harry replied. "Is this supposed to be part of the task?"

"I dunno," Cedric said nervously. "Wands out, d'you reckon?"

"Yeah," Harry said at once as both he and Cedric drew out their wands. "Someone's coming."

Cedric squinted into the darkness, Harry still at his side, as they watched a strange figure drawing nearer to them. For a moment, Cedric and Harry exchanged quizzical glances before turning back to the figure which was hooded and seemed to be carrying something in its arms in a bundle of robes.

The figure stopped and Cedric's grip tightened on his wand. He was about to whisper to Harry when Harry's wand fell to the ground as his hands flew up to his face. Cedric heard Harry groan as though in great, agonizing pain as he dropped to his knees on the ground. Cedric wasn't sure what to do. Should he help Harry, or was it even safe to turn away from this person who had brought such pain in Harry?

Cedric kept glancing nervously from Harry to the person, his heart pounding ever louder. '_Be brave, be brave_' he chanted in his head. '_Help Harry... for Hermione... He's her friend, help him_.' Cedric reached out a hand and was about to touch Harry's shoulder when he heard a high pitched and cold voice that made him shiver slightly.

"_Kill the spare_," it hissed.

Cedric had no time to register what was going on. One moment, he was about to touch Harry's shoulder, and the other, he was trying to raise his wand in defense as the Killing Curse was shouted.

"_Avada Kedavra!_"

Cedric never had a chance. Green light erupted from the figure's wand and whizzed through the air at lightning speed, faster than Cedric could make his mind work. He felt the curse seize his body. His eyes froze in an unblinking way, his body stiffened, and he only just realized that he was falling toward the ground. He cried out inwardly, cried out to Hermione. '_I LOVE YOU, HERMIONE!_'

Those words were his dying thoughts. Those words were the last signs of life that left him, though unspoken, meaningful all the same. He was dead now, never to see Hermione again. He would never be able to hold her again. Never caress her cheek with his fingertips, touch her skin, savor the sweet smell of her perfume. He would never be able to tell her that he did in fact love her. That he loved her so much that she had been his dying thought.

* * *

Hermione sat in the stands, her mind not registering anything but a blank. They had been waiting for what felt like forever for a sign of Harry or Cedric, but nothing turned up. Dumbledore had went down onto the pitch and was telling everyone to remain calm. 

Remain calm? Hermione didn't even know what those two words meant at the moment. She just wanted to see Harry and Cedric and if panicking was going to get them back to her, she was going to do it.

Meanwhile, Harry was fighting a newly risen Voldemort, both of them risen into the air as their wands locked. Harry seemed to be in shock as he and Voldemort came to rest on the ground once more, away from Death Eaters and tombstones. Suddenly, the golden light that was locking Voldemort and Harry's wands branched like lightning, still holding the wands as it created a dome around them.

Then, in a shining sound of hope, a phoenix, though unseen by them, broke into song. They began to duel for absolute power over the other, forcing beads of powerful light toward each other's wand tip. Suddenly though, gray smoke erupted from Voldemort's wand. A hand came out slowly, followed by Cedric Diggory in a ghostly gray form.

"Hold on, Harry," Cedric told him. More people began emerging from Voldemort's wand. An elderly man.

"He was a real wizard, then? Killed me," the old man said, "that one did... You fight him, boy..." Next, Bertha Jorkins came out of the wand tip.

"Don't let go, now! Don't let him get you, Harry-," Bertha cried, "don't let go!" But this wasn't the last to emerge. Lily Evans tumbled out and began to speak as well.

"Your father's coming... Hold on for your father...," Lily soothed, "it will be all right... hold on..." And just as she said, James Potter came out of the wand tip just like the others had done.

"When the connection is broken," James began, "we will linger for only moments... but we will give you time... you must get to the Portkey, it will return you to Hogwarts... do you understand, Harry?"

"Yes," Harry replied, half in fright, half in awe.

"Harry...," Cedric whispered, "take my body back, will you? Take my body back to my parents... And tell Hermione I love her... she'll understand."

"I will," Harry grunted as he struggled to keep his hold on his wand.

"Do it now," instructed James, "be ready to run... do it now..."

"NOW!" Harry broke apart with Voldemort and made a run. Cedric's lingering gray figure distracted Voldemort as everyone in the graveyard watched Harry run for Cedric's body.

"Go, Harry," Cedric said very softly as his gray smoke version disappeared as Voldemort ordered his Death Eaters upon Harry, but they were too late, Harry was on his way back to Hogwarts with the Cup and Cedric's body.

There were sudden gasps and people began jumping up in the stands as they pointed down onto the pitch were the entrance to the maze was. Hermione jumped up and wondered what everyone was pointing at. She tried to use the Ominoculars, but someone bumped into her and she dropped them, breaking a dial and a lens.

She pulled out her wand, crouched, and repaired them quickly as people around here began to scream about someone being dead. She worried that it was Harry, or even worse, Cedric. She put the Ominoculars to her eyes and tried to see, but she could only see the crowd of people around Harry and Cedric.

Suddenly more panic overtook her as she heard something that she feared more than anything in that moment.

"Cedric Diggory! _He's dead!_" Those words echoed horribly in her ears and she struggled against them within her head. '_No, no he's not_' she told herself as she tried to see with the Ominoculars.

It wasn't the crowd that kept her from seeing this time, but tears that were stinging her eyes. She wiped at them furiously and tried to see, but the lenses were smeared with her tears. She cleaned them hastily on her sleeve and wiped her eyes once more as she put the Ominoculars back up to her face. That's when she saw him. Cedric.

He was laying spread-eagle upon the ground next to the Triwizard Cup. He wasn't moving and upon his face was a look of terror. His wand was clutched in his lifeless hand and his father had just dropped to his side in hysterics. Professor Sprout was standing there too at Cedric's feet, she was dabbing her eyes on her sleeves and looking very remorseful. Mrs. Diggory came into sight now.

She was being supported by someone Hermione could not recognize though it was surprising Hermione could recognize even Mrs. Diggory because her tears were now flowing so freely that it seemed they would never stop.

"Hermione," said Ron softly as Bill supported Mrs. Weasley out of the stands, Ginny behind them with tears in her eyes.

Hermione couldn't speak. She looked at Cedric one last time, his pale body laying next to the glistening Triwizard Cup as his parents and friends wept over him. Hermione lowered the Ominoculars and let Ron lead her from the stands as she began to sob silently.

* * *

"Poppy... I just want to know where Harry is," Mrs. Weasley demanded. 

"Please," Bill added, "he's like one of the family... And I'm sure he would agree that we are the closest thing to family that we have!"

"Molly," Poppy sighed for the umpteenth time. "I told you that I don't know where he is. You're best bet would be to-"

But Madam Pomfrey was cut off there as the doors to the hospital wing opened and Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Hermione, and Ron all turned to see Dumbledore and Harry walking in with a great, bear-like, shaggy black dog.

"Harry! Oh Harry!" Mrs. Weasley's shriek made Hermione jump a little, but she didn't stir from her place behind everyone. Mrs. Weasley made to run forward, but Dumbledore stopped her as he held up his hand and spoke.

"Molly," he began, "please listen to me for a moment. Harry has been through a terrible ordeal tonight. He has just had to relive it for me. What he needs now is sleep, and peace, and quiet. If he would like you all to stay with him, you may do so. But I do not want you questioning him until he is ready to answer, and certainly not this evening."

Personally, Hermione was glad that Dumbledore had banned everyone from asking about the events of that night, because she didn't think that she could bare to hear what exactly had happened to Cedric. She sniffled and shivered as she recalled how he looked through the Ominoculars. Laying stiff and pale upon the grassy Quidditch pitch. Tears burned her eyes like salt on a wound while she tried to shake that image from her head.

Hermione looked up and realized that Mrs. Weasley had been speaking to her and the two red head boys next to her, but she felt that whatever she had just missed wasn't of that much importance anyways. Hermione sighed, sniffled once more, and felt her knees buckle. She jumped a little bit as something rubbed against her hand. Something furry and warm.

She looked down and saw the great black dog that she knew was Sirius. He nuzzled his head under her arm and she felt the warmth radiate off his body as her leg became buried in the black shaggy hair on his side. He sat next to her in a comforting way, but his movement seemed to have attracted Madam Pomfrey's attention to him.

"Headmaster," Madam Pomfrey said in a slightly fearful way as she stared at Sirius's dog form, "may I ask what-?"

"This dog will be remaining with Harry for a while," Dumbledore replied with a calm air of finality. "I assure you, he is extremely well trained. Harry – I will wait while you get into bed."

Hermione watched Dumbledore walk to the edge of the ward and wait for Harry to get on one of the dressing gowns and get into bed. Hermione stood back with Sirius still at her side, a strange comfort coming from the large, but cuddly dog.

Once Harry was settled in bed and Dumbledore had left, Madam Pomfrey told Ron, Hermione, Bill, and Mrs. Weasley that it was okay for them to come in. They went around the curtain that surrounded his bed, sat down on chairs, and stared at him. Hermione sat there with Sirius at her side still as she stared at Harry and wondered if he tried to save Cedric.

"I'm all right," Harry said. Hermione figured that she had a horribly worried look on her face as he looked from her to Ron and tried to force a smile to convince them. "Just tired," he continued.

Hermione sat and watched as harry took his potion and fell asleep immediately. They had been sitting around the bed whispering, Hermione more listening to Bill and Mrs. Weasley as Ron kept sighing and looking from Sirius to Harry then to Hermione and then back to his mother and brother. There had been nothing but silence that was in harmony with the buzzing of whispers for so long, that it took Hermione was soon snoozing.

Ron nudged her and she jumped as she turned to look at him with heavy eyelids and a cramped neck. She rubbed some sleep from her bloodshot eyes and looked to Sirius who was curled up on the floor at her feet. She sighed heavily as she saw Harry in the bed. She had hoped to wake and find that it had all been some horrible nightmare, but it wasn't.

"I'll be back," Hermione breathed as she stood up with a small stretch and left the hospital wing to go wash her face in the bathroom.

She splashed cold water upon her face and gripped the sink as she let it drip off her. She stood there for a few minutes, her face about dry, but her chin was still dripping, though not with water. Tears were once more flowing freely from her bloodshot eyes, down her splotched cheeks, and falling from her chin into the sink. She sniffed and looked up into the cracked and grimy mirror before her.

She splashed her face again, grabbed some soap and began to scrub away at the tightened paths of skin that her tears had created. She sighed heavily as she splashed more water on her face and grabbed some paper towels. She dabbed her face, the water soaking in the towel and leaving cold patches upon her cheeks and forehead. She was staring in the mirror once more, contemplating what she was without Cedric, when she heard voices outside yelling.

"-he's banned those creatures from this castle! Just wait until-"

"Minerva, it was in my best inter-"

"But you broke the Headmaster's rules," McGonagall shouted. "And I don't think it wise that you go barging into the infirmary without Dumble-"

"Now see here, Minerva, I am the Minister of Magic, I will go wherever I please with that old foo-"

"Don't you dare, Cornelius," McGonagall warned.

Hermione looked around and then ran to the door of the bathroom, her heart racing as she pushed the door open a crack and saw Fudge, Snape, and McGonagall standing stalk still just outside the bathroom. Fudge and McGonagall were glaring at each other as Snape watched the two, an evil smirk playing upon his greasy features.

"I don't care... I want to see Potter and Dumbledore and I have a feeling that's where they will be," Fudge said as he pointed off down the corridor toward the hospital, "and that's where I'm going."

With that, he turned, his bowler hat clutched angrily in his hand as he stalked off. McGonagall gave an exhausted and frustrated sigh as she sat off after the Minister, Snape at her heels like some travesty of a pet dog. Hermione looked up and down the hall, her eyes locking on their retreating backs as she came out of the bathroom and followed them.

They made it to the hospital wing, Fudge flinging open the doors and storming over toward Mrs. Weasley and Bill as Hermione sneaked in and saw Ron standing there with Sirius's dog form looking shocked. She made her way over to him and watched as McGonagall, Mrs. Weasley, and Fudge began to yell, but they were interrupted when Dumbledore entered.

"What has happened?" Dumbledore's tone was very serious, and he seemed to be angered slightly by Fudge's present rudeness. "Why are you disturbing these people? Minerva, I'm surprised at you – I asked you to stand guard over Barty Crouch-"

"There is no need to stand guard over him anymore, Dumbledore! The Minister had seen to that!"

What were they shouting about? What had the Minister done that was so terrible to make McGonagall scream and yell and respond to Dumbledore like that? And what was all this business about Barty Crouch?

"When we told Mr. Fudge that we had caught the Death Eater responsible for tonight's events," Snape spoke smoothly, "he seemed to feel his personal safety was in question. He insisted on summoning a dementor to accompany him into the castle. He brought it up to the office where Barty Crouch-"

"I told him you would not agree, Dumbledore! I told him you would never allow dementors to set foot inside the castle," McGonagall burst, "but-"

"My dear woman," Fudge bellowed angrily, "as Minister of Magic, it is my decision whether I wish to bring protection with me when interviewing a possibly dangerous-"

The moment that- that thing entered the room," McGonagall screeched, "it swooped down on Crouch and- and-"

There was a pause among all in the room. Hermione knew what had happened by the stunned yet slightly angered silence. Barty Crouch, Mr. Crouch's son, had suffered a fate worse than death. He had received the Dementor's Kiss, a horrible thing that caused one to lose their soul through it being sucked out of their mouth. Hermione shivered at the very thought. How could someone bare to watch such a horrific thing?

"But all accounts," Fudge hissed, "he is no loss! It seems he has been responsible for several deaths!"

"But he cannot now give testimony, Cornelius," Dumbledore said. "He cannot give evidence about why he killed those people."

"Why he killed them? Well, that's no mystery, is it? He was a raving lunatic! From what Minerva and Severus have told me," snapped Fudge, "he seems to have thought he was doing it all no You-Know-Who's instructions!"

"Lord Voldemort _was_ giving him instructions, Cornelius," Dumbledore informed. "Those people's deaths were mere by-products of a plan to restore Voldemort to full strength again. The plan succeeded. Voldemort has been restored to his body."

Hermione felt fear course through her. Was Voldemort really back? She might have never been around for his first reign, but from what she heard about it from those who were, it was positively and absolutely awful. More than awful really. Had Voldemort been the reason Cedric returned dead? Was it he who had taken away her happiness like he had taken away Harry's when he killed Lily and James? She had to ask Harry, she just had to know if Voldemort had been Cedric's killer.


	27. Remember Cedric Diggory

Chapter 27 – Remember Cedric Diggory

"You-Know-Who... returned? Preposterous," Fudge said with a slightly shaky voice. "Come now, Dumbledore..."

"As Minerva and Severus have doubtless told you," Dumbledore began, "we heard Barty Crouch confess. Under the influence of Veritaserum, he told us how he was smuggled out of Azkaban, and how Voldemort – learning of his continued existence from Bertha Jorkins – wen to free him from his father and used him to capture Harry. The plan worked, I tell you. Crouch has helped Voldemort to return."

"See here, Dumbledore," Fudge said. There was a slight bit of amusement on his face as though he found this all to be some big joke. "You – you can't seriously believe that. You-Know-Who – back? Come now, come now... certainly, Crouch may have _believed_ himself to be acting upon You-Know-Who's orders – but to take the word of a lunatic like that, Dumbledore..."

"When Harry touched the Triwizard Cup tonight, he was transported straight to Voldemort," Dumbledore stated matter-of-factly. "He witnessed Voldemort's rebirth. I will explain it all to you if you will step into my office."

Nothing was said as Dumbledore turned to face the group before them. He looked past Hermione, Ron, Mrs. Weasley, Bill, and Sirius to Harry in his bed. Hermione followed his gaze and saw that Harry was awake. The first thing that popped into her head was that as soon as everyone was gone, she was going to ask Harry how Cedric had died. She needed to know because if Voldemort had been his killer, then things were personally between her and the Dark Lord now.

"I am afraid I cannot permit you to question Harry tonight," Dumbledore sighed.

Hermione whipped around. For an instant, she had thought that he was talking to her, but instead, he was now addressing Fudge once more.

"You are – er – prepared to take Harry's word on this, are you, Dumbledore?"

Fudge seemed to think Dumbledore's believing Harry was a laughing matter. Sirius seemed to not find this funny, though as he began to growl. Hermione knew that if he had been in human form, he would be ranting and raving about how Harry would never lie about something like that. Hermione stroked the back of his great shaggy neck and pulled lightly on the tips of his ears in a massaging sort of way.

He calmed himself a bit, but he was still baring his teeth at the Minister. Hermione sighed and looked around at everyone. The silence was horrible, she preferred the yelling to it strangely enough, at least it showed signs of life and emotion. Things that she now felt so void of.

"You are prepared to believe that Lord Voldemort has returned on the word of a lunatic murderer, and a boy who... well...," Fudge said in disbelief.

Hermione couldn't understand why the Minister was having such a hard time with this. Harry wouldn't lie about something to this great of a magnitude, and Dumbledore certainly wouldn't. Besides, Dumbledore probably read the signs as Sirius had once told them and he figured as much for himself, Harry's words only confirming his beliefs.

"You've been reading Rita Skeeter, Mr. Fudge," Harry spoke up.

Hermione, Ron, Mrs. Weasley, and Bill all jumped. Sirius whipped around, his canine eyes upon Harry in fatherly concern. Hermione thought about what he had said for a moment and then turned back to the Minister, a foreboding feeling rising in her stomach.

"And if I have? If I have discovered that you've been keeping certain facts about the boy very quiet? A Parselmouth, eh? And having funny turns all over the place-"

Here Dumbledore broke in, but Hermione didn't hear a word of it. All she saw was Dumbledore's lips moving calmly. She clenched her fists and felt white hot rage bubble inside of her. Rita Skeeter. There she was again, the start of many upon many problems. Hermione was going to get her, she swore to it, not only for herself, but for Arthur Weasley, Harry, Viktor, Hagrid, and the numerous others she had so wrongly attacked with verbal publication.

"Look, I saw Voldemort come back! I saw the Death Eaters!" Hermione jumped and whipped around to face Harry who continued to yell at the Minister. "I can give you their names! Lucius Malfoy-"

"Malfoy was cleared! A very old family-," Fudge erupted, "donations to excellent causes-"

"Macnair!"

"Also cleared! Now working for the Ministry!"

"Avery – Nott – Crabbe – Goyle-"

"You are merely repeating the names of those who were acquitted of being Death Eaters thirteen years ago! You have found those names in old reports of the trials! For heaven's sake, Dumbledore – the boy was full of some crackpot story at the end of last year too – his tales are getting taller, and you're still swallowing them – the boy can talk to snakes, Dumbledore," Fudge bellowed, "and you still think he's trustworthy?"

Hermione had to grab Sirius by the shoulders of his dog body. He was growling again and trying to lunge after Fudge who took no notice of the angered black dog as McGonagall began to scream her protests at the Minister.

"You fool! Cedric Diggory-"

This was all Hermione heard. Her breath caught in her throat and tears rushed forward so quickly that Hermione had hardly any idea of where they came from. She had been crouched by Sirius while holding him back, but now she let go as she dropped to her knees and buried her face in her hands.

The rest of the conversation was drown out to her as she felt Sirius put his nose up to her neck and offer her his already matted shoulder to cry on. His warm black fur offered a bit of comfort, but not enough. Soon, she felt Ron's hand on her shoulder, pulling her up off the floor as Dumbledore and Fudge continued to argue.

"C'mon, Hermione," Ron whispered as he put an arm around her shoulder and pressed her head to his shoulder so that she would cry there as he stroked her slightly bushy brown hair.

She felt Sirius rub the side of his head against the back of her leg and let one of her hands fall, Sirius licking it lightly as he nuzzled it with his damp nose. Hermione had only calmed down once Mrs. Weasley moved over to take control where Ron was slowly failing. She handed Hermione a tissue and secured her in a motherly embrace, continuing to stroke her hair where Ron had left off.

Hermione was just about calmed down when movement caught her eye. It was Snape. He had strode up to Fudge and yanked back the sleeve of his billowing black robes. There on his arm was a mark, a mark Hermione had only seen a few times before in her life, but one she knew as a horrible mark all the same. One that had scared her almost to death last summer while they were at the Quidditch World Cup. It was the Dark Mark with its skull and snake, burnt into Snape's arm.

"There. There. The Dark Mark. It is not as clear as it was an hour or so ago, when it burned black, but you can still see it," Snape snarled.

Hermione lost herself in thought now. She imagined Cedric being surrounded by hundreds of shirtless men, all with the black skull and snake burnt into their arms. She grimaced and winced while tears rushed forward as she tried to stop her mind from creating the imagine of those hundreds of men raising their marked arms and pointing wands at Cedric.

She tried to blink away tears now as she shook her head, green light erupting in her mind's eye as she whimpered and buried her face in Mrs. Weasley's chest. Ron placed his hand on Hermione back and rubbed as Mrs. Weasley handed her another tissue and resumed the stroking of her hair.

Hermione was thankful for their comforting gestures, but at the moment, her mind and body called out to be alone. She was glad when she saw Fudge cram on his green bowler hat and storm out. Mrs. Weasley slowly let go of Hermione and went to check on a crestfallen Harry as Ron's attention was diverted by his oldest brother standing up from his chair.

One-by-one the adults started to leave the room. First Bill, then McGonagall who was followed by Madam Pomfrey. Then Dumbledore called upon Sirius to resume his human form which caused quite a bit of commotion. Mrs. Weasley shrieked and jumped with horror as Snape snarled and showed his mutual dislike for Black.

After a very quick shaking of hands between Snape and Sirius, Dumbledore gave orders that Sirius was to alert Remus Lupin, Arabella Figg, and Mundungus Fletcher while Snape got an order Hermione wasn't quite sure meant. Dumbledore had asked if he was ready and Snape had accepted before giving a glinting look and leaving. Dumbledore waited a few minutes before speaking, Hermione wishing he had remained silent once he did.

"I must go downstairs," he sighed heavily, "I must see the Diggorys. Harry – take the rest of your potion. I will see all of you later."

Hermione felt herself fighting against the choking feeling that was slowly starting to overpower her. She sniffled and it only made the feeling worse as tears spilled over onto her cheeks and she began to cough. She sniffled and tried to stop as Mrs. Weasley began to speak, Hermione not wanting to interrupt her.

"You've got to take the rest of your potion, Harry," she said in motherly sweetness. "You have a good long sleep," she continued as she poured Harry's potion, all the while eying the bag of gold that Hermione expected Fudge had left for Harry's winnings. "Try and think about something else for a while... think about what you're going to buy with your winnings!"

"I don't want that gold," Harry said tonelessly. "You have it. Anyone can have it. I shouldn't have won it. It should've been Cedric's."

Hermione's stomach twisted with extreme discomfort. She imagined Cedric accepting the bag of gold and winking at her as he asked her what style diamond earrings and what new books she would want. Where she would want to go eat to celebrate, and if she would mind staying the night with him at his house to help him count it all.

"It wasn't your fault, Harry," Mrs. Weasley soothed as she patted his shoulder.

Hermione saw Harry staring determinedly at the ceiling, obviously trying to stop the tears in his eyes from escaping. She felt that feeling in her stomach grow as she realized Harry might be blaming himself for not only Cedric's death, but maybe some discomfort to her.

"I told him to take the cup with me," Harry choked.

'_If only you hadn't..._' Hermione shook her head furiously. She scolded herself mentally for thinking such a thing. She didn't know the events of what had happened after Cedric and Harry had been transported by that cup. Had Cedric possibly saved Harry in some way or another? Would things be vice versa if Cedric hadn't have been taken, would Harry be dead instead?

She couldn't bare the thought as she turned her head to the window sill and spotted something. There was the cause of so many problems during her fourth year of schooling. The very person she was vowing revenge against most everyday, the woman that sparked rage in her every time she heard her name. Rita Skeeter.

Hermione grabbed a jar and walked swiftly over to the window sill. Suddenly, Rita's beetle form tried to take flight, but Hermione brought the jar down upon the window sill. There was a loud bang as she trapped Rita, Mrs. Weasley and Harry looking up at her in alarm as Ron stood at the foot of Harry's bed looking at her like she was nuts.

"Sorry," Hermione whispered as she slid the jar off the window sill and put a lid on it. She had finally caught Rita Skeeter, she was going to stop her from putting out anymore horrible articles.

* * *

Over the next week, Hermione found herself more dedicated to her work than ever. She realized that it was not her usual spark and flare for schooling returning to her, but her determination to keep her mind off Cedric. She often cried herself to sleep at night, her only source of comfort in opening her trunk and seeing the beetle in the jaw. Another treasured comfort to Hermione was the book Cedric had bought her, her favorite book. 

She sighed as she sat on her bed, all her things packed as she double-checked that she had everything before going down to the end of the year feast with Harry and Ron who were in the common room. She opened the book to the place where she and Cedric had left off, they had been one chapter from the end.

She looked down at the red and yellow braided silk ribbons that served as the book mark and saw that it was laying on top of an envelope. Curiously, Hermione picked up the letter, closed the book gently and laid it on the bed next to her. She opened the envelope, her eyes instantly filling with tears when she saw the writing. It was from Cedric.

_June 24, 1994_

_Dearest Hermione,_

_Just a note to loosen the jitters that I have here while sitting in my dorm waiting for the task. My parents are here, I can't wait for you to meet them! I look forward to seeing you after the task... and celebrating my victory!_

_With love,  
_

_Cedric_

Hermione shook violently with sobs, a whimper escaping her trembling lips every now and then. She would never meet his parents, at least not how he had planned in this note. She read the note again and again. He had been nervous. He should have been living every moment to the fullest. Could he have even fathomed what had happened to him would have happened?

She wiped her cheeks fervently as she heard Ron and Harry calling from the common room. She laid the book safely on top of her clothes inside her trunk, tucked the note into her inside robe pocket, closed the lid on her trunk, and looked to the window.

There was another red sunset, just like the night of the twenty-third. Hermione recalled her father's saying. Red sky at night, sailor's delight and a mother's fright. Mrs. Diggory's fright. Did she know that saying and worry for Cedric on the twenty-third? Only she would know. Hermione sighed and left the dorm silently to join Harry and Ron on the way down to dinner.

They entered the Great Hall to find the decorations in a much more mournful fashion. Just seeing the black tapestry made Hermione's eyes go misty with heartbreak as she took her usual seat at the Gryffindor table. She looked around and saw many girls wiping their eyes and not many people talking. Everyone seemed to be mourning the loss of Cedric, but none more greatly than she, none except Cho Chang.

Cho had lost Cedric twice. Once to Hermione and now again with his death. She was in hysterics too as she looked up at Hermione and burst into tears, throwing her head onto Marietta Edgecomb's shoulder. Marietta threw Hermione a scathing look and patted Cho's back as she shook as though she were having a seizure. Dumbledore's voice broke the silence in the hall, drowning away the little sobs that was the only noise in the hall.

"The end," he began, "of another year. There is much I would like to say to you all tonight, but I must first acknowledge the loss of a very fine person, who should be sitting here enjoying our feast with us."

Dumbledore directed attention to the Hufflepuff table, an empty seat at the very end where a lone black pointed student's hat sat upon one of the golden plates. Hermione adverted her eyes as they pricked and stung with tears, her eyes landing instead on Viktor. He looked reserved and stony-faced, not as mournful as everyone else, but still respectful to Cedric. Hermione could only imagine what Viktor was thinking. Did he hate Cedric for taking her?

"I would like you all, please, to stand," Dumbledore continued, "and raise your glasses, to Cedric Diggory."

The once silent hall was now filled with the sound of scraping benches and clinking glasses as everyone stood and raised their glass high in the air. A low rumble of Cedric's name caused Hermione to loss what little control she had and hiccup a bit as she sat down.

"Cedric was a person who exemplified many of the qualities that distinguish Hufflepuff house," Dumbledore sighed mournfully. "He was a good and loyal friend, a hard worker, he valued fair play. His death has affected you all, whether you knew him well or not. I think that you have the right, therefore, to know exactly how it came about."

Hermione gulped back her sobs as her ears pricked. She had intended to ask Harry this question, but every time she thought about it, she would tear up and be unable to speak. Hermione stared at Dumbledore with uneasy anticipation, her heart barely beating one minute and then pounding painful in her chest the next as she felt her mouth go dry.

"Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort," Dumbledore explained. "The Ministry of Magic does not wish me to tell you this. It is possible that some of your parents will be horrified that I have done so – either because they will not believe that Lord Voldemort has returned, or because they think I should not tell you so, young as you are. It is my belief, however, that the truth is generally preferable to lies, and that any attempt to pretend that Cedric died as the result of an accident, or some sort of blunder of his own, is an insult to his memory."

Hermione couldn't agree more. She vowed then and there that anyone she heard saying Voldemort wasn't back, she would give a severe thrashing to. Harry wouldn't lie, Dumbledore wouldn't lie, and Cedric's death was more than enough proof on it all.

"There is somebody else who must be mentioned in connection with Cedric's death," Dumbledore added. Hermione panicked for a moment, was he going to mention his girlfriend, her? "I am talking, of course, about Harry Potter."

Hermione felt relief course through her, that is until she saw Harry's face. It was horribly pale and his eyes were shining strangely. He still couldn't be blaming himself, surely. Hermione pitied Harry as everyone's eyes turned upon him. She slid her hand across the table and grabbed his tight in support as he continued to stare at Dumbledore.

"Harry Potter managed to escape Lord Voldemort," Dumbledore explained. "He risked his own life to return Cedric's body to Hogwarts." Here, Hermione squeezed Harry hand and felt tears prick her eyes once more. "He showed, in every respect, the sort of bravery that few wizards have ever shown in facing Lord Voldemort, and for this, I honor him."

Dumbledore led yet another toast, this one in Harry's name just as Cedric' had been before continuing.

"The Triwizard Tournament's aim was to further and promote magical understanding." Normally, Hermione would have nudged Ron and said something like 'I told you so', but she just wasn't in the spirit to do so. "In the light of what has happened – of Lord Voldemort's return – such ties are more important than ever before. Every guest in this Hall will be welcomed back here at any time, should they wish to come."

Hermione looked around, her sights moving past Hagrid and Madame Maxime to Fleur and her friends and then to Viktor and his friends. She thought about this for a moment, she would welcome back Viktor any time, but not with the experience she had with him this year.

"I say to you all, once again – in the light of Lord Voldemort's return, we are only as strong as we are united," Dumbledore said, "as weak as we are divided. Lord Voldemort's gift for spreading discord and enmity is very great. We can fight it only by showing an equally strong bond of friendship and trust. Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open. It is my belief – and never have I hopes that I am mistaken – that we are all facing dark and difficult times. Some of you in this Hall have already suffered directly at the hands of Lord Voldemort. Many of your families have been torn asunder. A week ago, a student was taken from our midst."

Hermione braced herself as she felt a powerful wave of emotion coming on with the coming of Dumbledore's strong words about Cedric.

"Remember Cedric. Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, remember what happened to a boy who was good, and kind, and brave, because strayed across the path of Lord Voldemort. Remember Cedric Diggory."

Hermione lost all control and broke into sobs, this time it was Harry who squeezed her hand as Ron patted her back lightly.


	28. Learning to Cope

Chapter 28 – Learning to Cope

Hermione had cried herself to sleep the night before, and now her eyes were red and puffy as she stood at the front doors of Hogwarts with Harry and Ron waiting on the carriages that would take them into Hogsmeade to catch the train. She sighed as she imagined being at home in the calm and quite where no one would look at her in a questioning way before walking off whispering about Cedric Diggory.

"'Arry!"

Hermione rolled her eyes as she look out the front doors to see a stunningly pretty girl with a long silken sheet of blond hair come toward her, Ron, and Harry. It was Fleur Delacour and she began to speak in her annoying accent as she held out her hand to Harry. Hermione felt her insides twitch as she heard that Fleur was going to get a job here, or at least try to.

Hermione's horrible feeling furthered itself as Ron began sucking up to her. Hermione couldn't have been more happy to see Fleur leave as she sighed and watched Ron angrily as he stared in a dumbfounded way.

"Wonder how the Durmstrang students are getting back," Ron said finally, catching Hermione's eye. "D'you reckon they can steer that ship without Karkaroff?"

"Karkaroff did not steer," came a deeply accented Bulgarian voice from behind them. "He stayed in his cabin and let us do the work."

Hermione turned around almost fearfully. She hadn't properly faced Viktor since Cedric had died and she wondered how that would make things between them feel any less awkward. She sighed and looked to Harry and Ron, Ron looking a bit bothered by his presence, though Hermione thought that he looked a bit strange rather than completely angry.

"Could I have a vord?"

"Oh... yes... all right," Hermione replied as she took Viktor's hand and let him lead her through the crowd.

She felt many people staring at her and it bothered her slightly, but still, she tried to keep her head held high. He stopped just on the other side of the marble staircase, pulling her back into the corner away from a lot of the other people. She found the solitaire feeling of it to be disturbing, but she made an effort not to shift around too uncomfortably.

"Her-my-ninny," Viktor began, his new found way of saying her name catching her attention and making her look up at him from her hands which were playing mindlessly with the hem of her sleeve. "I just vanted you to know that I am sorry about Diggory and I vant you to know also that you can come to me for anything."

It took Hermione a few moments to register these words before tears rushed to her eyes. She tried to tell herself that she mustn't cry in front of him, but there was no stopping it as the tears rolled freely out onto her cheeks.

Viktor frowned and held out his arms which Hermione unintentionally ignored as she wiped her face quickly before anyone else could see her crying. The last thing she needed was people saying she was crying over Viktor. People always seemed to get the wrong idea, but how could they not at the moment as Viktor wrapped his arms around her shoulders and back and pulled her into his chest.

"This might be a bad time to ask, but I vanted to know if you still like me?"

"I-," Hermione was trying to choke out an answer, but she didn't know what to say. She did in a way, but then again, she was repulsed by him. She didn't have the heart at the moment to tell him, so she let the next wave of tears overcome her and render her unable to speak.

"I really like you, Her-my-ninny, I haff told you before that I haff never felt like this about any other girl," Viktor continued as he raised her gaze to his and wiped her tears away. "You must not mourn forever... Please remember that I am here for you and do not forget my offer about this summer."

"I- I won't," Hermione hiccuped as she sighed and took a soothing breath.

She looked back up at him and forced a smile as she prepared to say thank you, but she merely got her lips parted when she felt his eyes burning down into hers with a searching sort of gaze. She didn't know what to do. She froze just like before, she couldn't even get her eyes to dart about for help as he began to move forward. She held her breath and closed her eyes as his lips came to rest on hers gently.

She had never felt something so unexplainable in all her life. It was a kiss that contradicted itself over and over. It was sweet yet disturbing, gentle but passionate, warming yet fear inspiring. She rolled it over in her mind as he pulled back, it had been a good kiss, but it felt bad to her. She finally decided that the timing was just overall bad.

"I had better go now," Viktor sighed as he ran his fingers through her hair and wiped a tear from her cheek. "Keep in touch vith me... I vill try to alvays send you letters."

"Thank you," Hermione mumbled as Viktor took her hand once more and led her back over to Harry and Ron who were still waiting on the carriages.

"I liked Diggory," Viktor said as he stopped in front of Harry. This surprised Hermione more than anything. Why hadn't he said that back there when they were alone? "He vos alvays polite to me. Alvays," Viktor stressed as he looked at Hermione out of the corner of his eye. She felt herself tearing up again, but pushed back these tears and clenched her fists in determination not to cry as she continued to listen to him. "Even though I vos from Durmstrang – with Karkaroff."

"Have you got a new headmaster yet?"

Viktor simply shrugged in response to Harry's question as he shook hands with him and then shook Ron's hand. Ron seemed to be fighting within himself as he bit down on his lip and screwed up his face as though he had a stomachache.

"Can I have your autograph?"

Ron's outburst made Hermione want to giggle, but she couldn't laugh at him. She turned away, smiling as she watched the carriages stop in front of the castle. She was happy to get onto the train and into a compartment with just Harry and Ron where she could feel at ease because she knew they wouldn't bother her about things. They were calmly and contently silent for a good bit of the first part of the ride until the began discussing what Dumbledore could be doing to take action against Voldemort.

"I think that I'm going to go find the trolley, do you want anything?"

Hermione had started to feel uncomfortable with the thought of an approaching war to prepare for on her mind. She was still mourning heavily, she wasn't ready for this kind of thing. And the more she thought about Voldemort's return, she thought about the price it had come at, trauma to Harry and the loss of someone she truly loved.

Harry dumped a bit of gold into her hand and let her go by herself, pulling on Ron's sleeve to keep him in his seat as he tried to get up to accompany Hermione. She was grateful that Harry would do such a thing, he knew more than anyone that she needed time alone.

She wondered the train corridor aimlessly for a few minutes before spotting the trolley. She was heading toward it when someone bumped into her. It was Cho Chang, and she seemed just as speechless to see Hermione. At first, they stared at each other, for how long, Hermione wasn't sure. Then, slowly, Cho backed up into her compartment and let Hermione pass, but as she did, Hermione felt Cho glaring at her.

Hermione sighed, things would just never be the same and she had accepted that. She reminded herself that had she been Cho, she probably would feel some animosity toward herself as well. For Cho had lost Cedric twice and most of that would seem like Hermione's fault, but it wasn't just Hermione's decision to have Cedric leave Cho, it had been partly his as well. She guessed that it was easier for Cho to blame Hermione rather than the beloved Cedric who it seemed wrong to blame.

"Three Cauldron Cakes, six Fizzing Whizzbees, one Pumpkin Pastry, and eight Chocolate Frogs," Hermione said to the lady as she opened her change purse.

"That will be two Galleons and nine sickles, m'dear," the lady smiled politely as she put Hermione's sweets in a bag and held it out to her while holding out her other hand for the money.

Hermione handed her the exact change and went on her way feeling slightly better. She entered the compartment where Harry and Ron were, gave them their food, and sat down to start reading the _Daily Prophet_. She caught Harry giving her a sort of anxious sideways glance that made her smile a bit.

"There's nothing in there. You can look for yourself," Hermione said to him, "but there's nothing at all. I've been checking every day. Justa small piece about the day after the third task saying you won the tournament. They didn't even mention Cedric Nothing about any of it. If you ask me, Fudge is forcing them to keep quiet."

Hermione felt a flare of hatred for the Minister. How could he do such an injustice to Cedric and his memory by keeping that quiet? How could he refuse to let the world of magic know that there was a crazed man back on a rampage and his first victim was a sweet and innocent young man who did nothing wrong? It was angering her as Harry spoke up, but when he said made her smile again momentarily.

"He'll never keep Rita quiet," Harry said. "Not on a story like this."

"Oh, Rita hasn't written anything at all since the third task," Hermione informed him as she felt a strange and sort of twisted glee rise in her stomach, the kind of feeling she used to get while riding roller coasters at amusement parks on family vacations. "As a matter of fact," Hermione continued, "Rita Skeeter isn't going to be writing anything at all for a while. Not unless she wants me to spill the beans on _her_."

"What are you talking about?"

Hermione smiled over at Ron as she felt the urge to jump up and down and squeal with excitement. Harry and Ron still didn't know that she had caught Rita Skeeter that night in the hospital wing.

"I found out how she was listening in on private conversations when she wasn't supposed to be coming onto the grounds," Hermione spat happily.

"How was she doing it?"

"How did you find out?" It was always like Ron to underestimate her brain power unless he wanted to copy her homework.

"Well, it was you, really, who gave me the idea, Harry," Hermione credited.

"Did I? How?"

"_Bugging!_"

"But you said they didn't work-"

"Oh not _electronic_ bugs," Hermione corrected. "No, you see... Rita Skeeter is an unregistered Animagus. She can turn-," at this, Hermione pulled the jar with Rita inside out of her trunk, "-into a beetle.

"You're kidding," Ron said in disbelief. "You haven't... she's not..."

"Oh yes she is," Hermione squealed triumphantly. It felt slightly wrong to be this happy, but she had beat Rita once and for all, and it felt good to able to say she had.

"That's never – you're kidding-," Ron muttered as he looked into the jar.

"No, I'm not," Hermione sighed contently. "I caught her on the windowsill in the hospital wing. Look very closely, and you'll notice the markings around her antennae are exactly like those foul glasses she wears."

"There was a beetle on the statue the night we heard Hagrid telling Madame Maxime about his mum!"

Hermione nodded fervently to Harry's outburst as Ron passed the jar to him. Hermione sighed yet again and wished that Cedric could have been there to share in her triumph.

"Exactly," Hermione said. "And Viktor pulled a beetle out of my hair after we'd had our conversation by the lake. And unless I'm very much mistaken, Rita was perched on the windowsill of the Divination class the say your scar hurt. She's been buzzing around for stories all year."

"When we saw Malfoy under that tree...," Ron said slowly. Hermione smiled, he seemed to always be the last to catch on, but the more she thought about it, the more she sort of liked that about him because it showed innocent, at least innocent ignorance.

"He was talking to her, in his hand," Hermione finished for him. "He knew, of course. That's how she's been getting all those nice little interviews with the Slytherins. They wouldn't care that she was doing something illegal, as long as they were giving her horrible stuff about us and Hagrid."

Harry handed the jar back to Ron who gave it back to Hermione. She held the jar up to her face and smiled evilly as she watched the fat little beetle buzz against the glass.

"I've told her I'll let her out when we get back to London," Hermione pronounced. "I've put an Unbreakable Charm on the jar, you see, so she can't transform. And I've told her she's to keep her quill to herself for a whole year. See if she can't break the habit of writing horrible lies about people."

Hermione felt great pride in herself as she stored the jar in her bag as the compartment door opened.

"Very clever, Granger," Draco Malfoy drawled in a snotty way. "So. You caught some pathetic reporter, and Potter's Dumbledore's favorite boy again. Big deal." He came into the compartment a bit further and glared around. "Trying not to think about it, are we?" Draco's eyes darted from Hermione to Harry and back again as a malicious smile broke out on his face. "Trying to pretend it hasn't happened?"

"Get out," Harry demanded.

"You've picked the losing side, Potter! I warned you! I told you you ought to choose your company more carefully, remember? When we met on the train, first day at Hogwarts? I told you not to hand around with riffraff like this! Too late now, Potter! They'll be the first to go, now the Dark Lord's back! Mudbloods and Muggle-lovers first! Well – second – Diggory was the f-"

Hermione knew what had been coming out of her mouth and tears were already flowing freely. She didn't want to hear those words from him and she had jumped up and hexed Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, but she wasn't the only one. Harry and Ron were on their feet too, wands out, and Fred and George were making their way into the compartment, stepping on the three Slytherins as they tucked their wands away. Hermione wiped away the tears on her cheeks before the boys could see and she sniffled as she turned to them.

"Thought we'd see what those three were up to," Fred voiced as he looked down at the three Slytherins.

"Interesting effect," George spoke up. "Who used the Furnunculus Curse?"

"Me," Harry replied.

"Odd," George continued. "I used Jelly-Legs. Looks as though those two shouldn't be mixed. He seems to have sprouted little tentacles all over his face. Well, let's not leave them here, they don't add much to the decor."

Hermione watched the boys kick Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle out into the corridor before shutting the door and taking up on a few games of Exploding Snap. She sat there quietly watching as she scratched Crookshanks ears and listened to them talk. Suddenly, Harry asked a question that even she had once wondered about, but had forgotten.

"You going to tell us, then? Who you were blackmailing?"

"Oh," George grumbled. "_That_."

"It doesn't matter," Fred muttered, but the presence of bother by the subject was still evident. "It wasn't anything important. Not now, anyway."

"We're given up," George sighed. This didn't convince the Golden Trio and after a few minutes of bugging the twins, they gave in and continued their story, which Hermione knew they wanted to tell anyways.

"All right, all right," Fred said, "if you really want to know... it was Ludo Bagman."

"Bagman? Are you saying he was involved in-," Harry began before George cut him off.

"Nah. Nothing like that. Stupid git. He wouldn't have the brains."

"Well, what, then?"

"You remember that bet we had with him at the Quidditch World Cup? About how Ireland would win," Fred said to Ron, "but Krum would get the Snitch?"

Hermione cringed a bit at the name and shook the thought of Viktor kissing her from her mind. She really didn't want to think about that, though it did feel weird to hear Fred and them talk about him like he was a celebrity and know that she had kissed him. A celebrity. That wasn't the kind for her. Cedric was her type, though she doubted she would find another like him.

"Yeah," Harry and Ron said in unison.

"Well, the git paid us in leprechaun gold he'd caught from the Irish mascots."

"So?"

"So," Fred hissed, "it vanished, didn't it? By the next morning, it had gone!"

"But – it must've been an accident, mustn't it?" Hermione hated to think that a man like Ludo Bagman would pull such a nasty trick. That she Rita had once said something about that and she didn't want Rita to be right.

"Yeah, that's what we thought," George laughed bitterly, "at first. We thought if we just wrote to him, and told him he'd made a mistake, he'd cough up. But nothing doing. Ignored our letter. We kept trying to talk to him about it at Hogwarts, but he was always making some excuse to get away from us."

"In the end," Fred continued, "he turned pretty nasty. Told us we were too young to gamble, and he wasn't giving us anything."

"So we asked for our money back," George glowered.

"He didn't refuse!" Hermione couldn't deny it now, but she wished desperately that Fred and George would say he did.

"Right in one," Fred sighed.

"But that was all your savings!"

"Tell me about it," George said to Ron. "'Course, we found out what was going on in the end. Lee Jordan's dad had had a bit of trouble getting money off Bagman as well. Turns out he's in big trouble with the goblins. Borrowed loads of gold off them. A gang of them cornered him in the woods after the World Cup and took all the gold he had, and it still wasn't enough to cover his debts. They followed him all the way to Hogwarts to keep an eye on him. He's lost everything gambling. Hasn't got two Galleons to rub together. And you know how the idiot tried to pay the goblins back?"

"How?"

"He put a bet on you, mate," Fred said to Harry. "Put a big bet on you to win the tournament. Bet against the goblins."

"So _that's_ why he kept trying to help me win! Well – I did win, didn't I? So he can pay you your gold!"

"Nope," George corrected. "The goblins play as dirty as him. They say you drew with Diggory, and Bagman was betting you'd win outright. So Bagman had to run for it. He did run for it right after the third task."

Hermione shook her head and sighed. It was awful to think of that, but she guessed there was bad in everyone, some greater than others. Others like Voldemort who would kill the one person there seemed to be no bad in, Cedric. She swallowed back the lump in her throat and turned to the window for the rest of the journey. She was happy to feel the train jerk to a stop. She grabbed her trunk, stepped over the three Slytherins which were still in the hall outside their compartment, and made her way onto the platform.

She quickly found a trolley, loaded her trunk onto it, and pushed it through the barrier where her parents were waiting. Her mother scooped her up into a warm hug as her father kissed her forehead. She was happy to be home and in the warmth, safety, and comfort of her parents company.

She looked back over her shoulder as she made her way to her father's car. She saw Ron running toward her from the pack of Weasley's. He stopped in front of her, and as no one was paying attention, he placed a kiss on her cheek and told her he would be there for her. She smiled as he blushed and ran back to his family. It was then that she realized it would take time to get over Cedric and what had happened, but she would be all right because she had Harry, the Weasley's, her family, and Ron to lean on.


End file.
